HA NOI — Agricultural, forestry and seafood products in the first half of this year saw an increase of 31 per cent in export value over the same period last year, earning US$4.76 billion, according to the Ministry of Trade.

The export value of pepper increased 44 per cent, while coffee saw growth of over 31 per cent, wood products and seafood nearly 26 per cent each, tea 18 per cent, fruit and vegetables 14.5 per cent, and rice 4.2 per cent.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that the production value of agricultural and forestry products reached VND85.6 billion($5.3 million) in the first half of 2006, 4 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

Agricultural production value increased 3 per cent, while that of the forestry sector increased 0.8 per cent.

Unfavourable weather and increases in material costs affected production in the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors, but production value still rose due to increases in the prices of some products at home and abroad over the same period last year, the ministry said.

The prices fetched by rubber, for instance, grew a whopping 40 per cent, while coffee prices went up an even brisker 48 per cent.

Pepper prices went up 3.2 per cent, and peanut prices went up 11.3 per cent — VNS