SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 2018

1. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a. Agriculture

As of mid-February, the whole country cultivated 2616.2 thousand hectares of winter-spring rice, equaling 99.2% from the same period last year.

As of mid-February, localities over the country cultivated 214.3 thousand hectares of maize, equaling 85.7% from the similar period last year; 48 thousand hectares of sweet potato, equaling 95%; 11.1 thousand hectares of soya, equaling 55.2%; 69.4 thousand of peanut, equaling 105.5%; 420.1 thousand hectares of vegetables, equaling 104.7%.

Estimated in February, the whole country’s flock of buffaloes reduced by 0.2% against the same period last year; flock of oxen grew by 2.3%; flock of poultry increased by 6.9%; flock of pigs fell by 5.7%.

+ Agricultural production as of February 15, 2018

b. Forestry

Generally, in the first two months of the year, the concentrated planted forest area was estimated to reach 6.8 thousand hectares, up 3.2% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 10.9 million trees, a rise of 1.9%; wood production gained 1075 thousand m3, a rise of 5.2%; firewood production gained 2.8 million steres, a decline of 0.7%.

Generally, in the first two months of this year, the whole country had 60.5 hectares of damaged forest, down 49.5% against the same period last year, of which the burnt forest area was 17.1 hectares, a decrease of 75.2%; the destroyed forest area was 43.4 hectares, a decline of 14.5%.

c. Fishery

Generally, in the first two months of 2018, fishing production was estimated to reach 1048.7 thousand tons, moving up by 3.2% over the same period last year, of which production of aquaculture gained 550.6 thousand tons, up 4.7%; production of fishery caught reached 498.1 thousand tons, up 1.5% (production of sea catching achieved 474.4 thousand tons, a growth of 2.3%).

2. Industry

In general, the index of industrial production (IIP) for the whole industry in the first two months of 2018 increased by 15.2% over the similar period last year, much higher than the growth rate of 2.4% in the same period in 2017[1]. Of which, the manufacturing grew by 17.7%, contributed 13.2 percentage points to the general growth rate; the power generation and distribution climbed by 11.2%, contributed 1 percentage points; the mining and quarrying went up by 5.7%[2], contributed 0.9 percentage points; the water supply and waste treatment increased by 4.3%, contributed 0.1 percentage points.

The number of employees working in industrial enterprises as of February 01, 2018 rose by 3.6% compared to the same period last year, of which employees in the State enterprise sector decreased by 1.3%; employees in the non-State enterprise sector grew by 4%; and employees in the FDI enterprise sector went up by 4.3%. As of above time-point, the number of employees working in mining and quarrying enterprises fell by 3.2% against the similar period last year; the number of employees working in manufacturing enterprises went up by 4%; the number of employees working in the power generation and distribution decreased by 0.6%; the number of employees working in the water supply and waste treatment reduced by 0.4%.

+Industrial Production Index
+Main industrial products
+Labor employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises

3. Business registration situation [3]

Generally, in the first two months of this year, the whole country had 18703 enterprises registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 197.3 trillion dongs, an increase of 29.4% in the number of enterprise and 29.3% rise in the registered capital compared to the same period in 2017. Average registered capital per newly established enterprise reached 10.5 billion dongs, down 0.1%[4]. If including 337.3 trillion dongs of more than 5900 turns of enterprises changed to raise the capital, the total registered capital added to the economy in the first two months of 2018 was 534.6 trillion dongs. Besides, there were 6878 enterprises returning to operation, down 13.8% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in the first two months of this year to 25.6 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered laborers of newly established enterprises in the first two months of 2018 was 156.4 thousand people, a decrease of 6.1% against the same period last year.

The number of temporarily ceased enterprises in the first two months of this year was 17132 ones, an increase of 4.5% against the identical period last year, including 11191 enterprises registered for time-limited temporary cessation of operation, rising by 29% and 5941 enterprises temporarily suspended operation without registering or waiting for dissolution, falling by 23.1%.

+ Number of newly registered enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of re-operated enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of temporarily ceased enterprises by kinds of activity

4. Investment

Generally, in the first two months of the year, realized investment capital under the State budget reached 29076 billion dongs, equaling 8.6% of the annual plan and up 6% against the same period in 2017, of which the capital under central management obtained 5632 billion dongs, equaling 8.5% of the annual plan and up 0.5% over the identical period last year; the capital under local management achieved 23444 billion dongs, equaling 8.6% of the annual plan and increasing by 7.4% compared to that in the same period in 2017.

From the beginning of the year to February 20, 2018, FDI attracted 411 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 1391.2 million, an increase of 31.3% in the number of projects and a decrease of 31.4% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2017. Besides, there were 133 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 700.3 million, down 7.8% from the same period last year. Thus, the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in two months reached US$ 2091.5 million, down 25% from 2017’s same period. Realized FDI capital in two months was estimated at US$ 1.7 billion, increasing by 9.7% over the identical period in 2017.  In the first two months of 2018, there were 873 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total capital contribution of US$ 1253.4 million, a growth of 102.5% against the same period in 2017, of which 471 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 858.9 million and 402 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 394.5 million.

27 provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide had newly licensed foreign direct investment projects from 36 countries and territories.

+ Realized investments under the State budget
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to February 20, 2018

5. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a. Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in two beginning months of the year, total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services reached 704 trillion dongs, up 10.1% against the same period last year, if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 8.7% (it increased by 5.1% in the same period in 2017).

By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in the first two months of this year gained an estimate of 532 trillion dongs, accounting for 75.6% of the total and increasing by 10% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in the first two months of the year attained 85.3 trillion dongs, accounting for 12.1% of the total and moving up by 10.2% from the same period last year. Sales of travelling in two months of this year achieved an estimate of 7.5 trillion dongs, making up 1.1% of the total and climbing by 38.4% against the similar period last year. Sales of other services in two months achieved an estimate of 79.2 trillion dongs, representing 11.2% of the total and increasing by 8.5% compared to that in the identical period in 2017.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services

b. Exports and imports of goods

Generally, in two beginning months of the year, export turnovers of goods was estimated to reach US$ 33.62 billion, a rise of 22.9% compared with that in the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 9.66 billion, moving up by 25.7%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 23.96 billion, increasing by 21.8%. About the merchandize export market in the first two months of the year, China was the biggest export market of Vietnam with the turnover of US$ 6.2 billion, up 64.8% over  the same period last year; followed by the United States with US$ 6 billion, increasing by 14%; EU with US$ 5.8 billion, an increase of 15%; ASEAN with US$ 3.5 billion, moving up by 11.2%; Japan with US$ 2.6 billion, up 11.1%; South Korea with US$ 2.6 billion, a growth of 36.4%.

Generally, in two months, import turnovers reached an estimate of US$ 32.54 billion, up 15.3% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 13.34 billion, up 16.4%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 19.20 billion, up 14.5%. About the merchandize import market in the first two months, China was still the biggest import market of Vietnam with turnover of US$ 9.4 billion, up 24.4% against the corresponding period in 2017; followed by South Korea with US$ 7 billion, an increase of 18.7%; ASEAN with US$ 4.4 billion, a rise of 13.2%; Japan with US$ 2.5 billion, 5.7% increase; EU with US$ 1.8 billion, up 5.7%; the United States with US$ 1.4 billion, down 5.5%.

Generally, in the first two months of the year, Vietnam had trade surplus of US$ 1.08 billion[5], of which the domestic economic sector had trade deficit of US$ 3.68 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) had trade suplus of US$ 4.76 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

c. Consumer price indexes (CPI), gold and US dollar price indexes

Average CPI in the first two months of 2018 increased by 2.90% compared to that in the similar period in 2017. CPI in February 2018 grew by 1.24% over December 2017 and by 3.15% from the same period last year.

Average core inflation in the first two months of this year months rose by 1.32% against the similar period in 2017.

Gold price index in February 2018 went up by 1.83% over the previous month, increased by 3.55% compared to December 2017 and moved up by 6.05% over the same period in 2017. The US dollar price index in February 2018 decreased by 0.01% over the previous month and by 0.05% compared to December 2017 and went up by 0.04% over the same period in 2017.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in February 2018

d. Carriage of passengers and cargos

Generally, in the first two months of the year, passenger carriage reached 745.8 million passengers, rising by 9.9% over the corresponding period last year and 32.9 billion passengers-kilometers, by 10.9%. Passengers carried by road achieved 703.8 million passengers, a rise of 10.1% and 22.9 billion passengers-kilometers, a rise of 10.7%; by inland waterway: 31.3 million passengers, up 5.5% and 0.6 billion passengers-kilometers, up 6.3%; by seaway: 1.2 million passengers, 7.3% increase and 71.1 million passengers-kilometers, 7.8% growth. Passenger carriage by airway reached a fairly good level with 7.9 million passengers, an increase of 12.6% and 8.6 billion passengers-kilometers, an increase of 13.9% because domestic airlines added more flights during Tet holiday. Only passenger carriage by railway reached 1.5 million passengers, a drop of 11.8% and 0.7 billion passengers-kilometers, a decline of 10.9% from the same period in 2017.

Generally, in the first two months of the year, cargo carriage gained 260 million tons, up 7.6% from the same period last year and 48.2 billion tons-kilometers, up 5.3%. Of which the domestic transport reached 254.5 million tons, increasing by 7.7% and 25.7 billion tons-kilometers, by 18.2%; overseas transport reached 5.5 million tons, moving up by 1.2% and 22.5 billion tons-kilometers, by 2.2%. By types of transport, cargo transport by road obtained 201 million tons, up 8.1% over the same period last year and 13.3 billion tons-kilometers, up 8.9%; by inland waterway: 45.7 million tons, up 6.8% and 9.8 billion tons-kilometers, up 6.4%; by seaway: 12.4 million tons, up 3.2% and 24.5 billion tons-kilometers, up 2.9%; by airway: 61 thousand tons, up 6.1% and 160.7 million tons-kilometers, up 4.2%; by railway: 0.8 million tons, a growth of 0.7% and 0.5 billion tons-kilometers, up 10.3%.

+ Carriage of passengers and cargos

e. International visitors to Vietnam

Generally, in the first two months of the year, international visitors to Vietnam was estimated to reach 2862.1 thousand arrivals, up 29.7% from the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway reached 2296.9 thousand arrivals, moving up by 26.3%; by road: 472.6 thousand arrivals, jumping up by 58.4%; by seaway: 92.6 thousand arrivals, increasing by 3.5%.

In the first two months of this year, visitors to Vietnam from Asia achieved an estimate of 2123.2 thousand arrivals, increasing by 35.8% against the similar period last year. Visitors from Europe were estimated to reach 441.3 thousand arrivals, going up by 16.7% from the identical period last year. Visitors from America obtained 199.4 thousand arrivals, moving up by 11.4% over the same period last year. Visitors from Australia gained 90.3 thousand arrivals, up 14.1% from the same period in 2017. Visitors from Africa achieved 7.9 thousand arrivals, a rise of 22.4% against the similar period in 2017.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

6. Social issues

a. People’s life and social security

In the first two months of 2018, the whole country had 40.1 thousand households suffering from food shortage, a decrease of 45% from the same period last year, corresponding to 149 thousand persons suffering from food shortage, a decline 50%. To overcome this problem, all administrative levels, sectors and localities from central to local level supported difficult households with 4.3 thousand tons of rice.

Social security work on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2018 was concerned by authorities at all levels. According to the preliminary report, about 8.1 million gifts with a total value of nearly 3.3 trillion dongs were donated to martyrs’ families, families with meritorious services to the revolution, policy beneficiary objects; and 896 billion dongs were provided to poor households to welcome the Lunar New Year festival.

b. Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally, in two beginning months of 2018, the whole country had over 3000 cases of hand, foot, mouth disease; 8000 cases of hemorrhagic fever; 40 cases of typhoid; 47 cases of virus encephalitis; 6 cases of meningococcal disease; and 279 persons with food poisoning.

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of February 17, 2018 was 209.3 thousand persons and 90.4 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 95.6 thousand persons.

c. Traffic accidents

Generally, in the first two months of the year, 3345 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 1676 traffic accidents of less serious or more and 1669 traffic crashes, making 1506 persons died, 780 ones injured and 1737 ones slightly injured. Compared with the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in two beginning months of 2018 decreased by 3.5% (the number of traffic accidents from less serious and over went down by 6.8%, the number of traffic crashes grew by 0.2%); Number of dead moved down by 4.1%; the number of injured people increased by 28.1% and the number of minor injuries reduced by 15.3%. On an average, each day in two months, the whole country had 54 traffic accidents, including 27 traffic accidents of less serious or more and 27 traffic crashes, making 24 persons died, 13 ones injured and 28 ones slightly injured.

d. Damages caused by natural calamity, environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

Generally, in the first two months of the year, natural calamity made 3.9 thousand hectares of rice and crops damaged, 4400 head of cattle died. Total value of damage was more than 65 billion dongs.

Generally, in the first two months of this year, 2486 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 2184 cases were treated with total fine of 27.1 billion dongs.

Generally, in two beginning months of the year, the whole country had 715 cases of fire and explosion, killing 23 persons and injuring 59 others, the value of damage was estimated at over 342.4 billion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] In the first two months of 2017, the manufacturing increased by 5.3% over the same period in the previous year; the power generation and distribution grew by 8.6%; the water supply and waste treatment rose by 4.6%; the mining and quarrying reduced by 13.7%.

[2] Mainly due to the natural gas’s increase of 16.8% and the metal ore mining’s growth of 25.3% from the same period last year.

[3] Source: National Business Registration System, Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

[4] In two months of 2017, the number of registered for new establishment grew by 3.9% over the same period in the previous year; the registered capital rose by 35%; average registered capital per newly established enterprise increased by 29.9%.

[5] Of which, in the first two months of the year, trade deficit with South Korea was nearly US$ 4.4 billion, up 10.1% from the same period last year; trade deficit with China was US$ 3.2 billion, down 15.6%.