January-June GDP picks up 6.76%

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 6.76%, fuelled by stable macro-economy, impressive rice exports, declining unemployment rate, and robust economic production, Director General of the General Statistics Office (GSO) Nguyen Bich Lam said at a press conference on June 28.

Vietnam’s GDP expanded 6.76% in the first half this year. (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam’s GDP expanded 6.76% in the first half this year. (Photo: VNA)

The agro-forestry-fishery sector expanded 2.39%, contributing 6% of the GDP growth. Expanding 8.93%, and 6.69%, the industrial and construction sector, and service industry contributed 51.8%, and 42.2%, respectively, of the growth.

Lam said that the agro-forestry-fishery sector is facing formidable challenges as prolonged heat wave would decrease productivity while African swine fever outbreaks have threatened the livestock sector’s health.

Processing and manufacturing remains the pillar of GDP growth, posting a growth of 11.18%, lower than the same time last year but much higher than H1 of 2012-2017.

Meanwhile, the service industry was backed by rosy wholesale and retail sales, financial activities, banking and insurance, transportation and warehouse.