Processing coffee at the Vietnam National Coffee Corporation's factory in Tân Uyên City, Bình Dương Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam exported 309,505 tonnes of coffee, earning approximately US$1.72 billion in the first two months of this year, according to the Department of Customs.

Nguyễn Đức Dũng, Deputy General Director of the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam (MXV), noted that coffee prices in the global market rose sharply. As a result, Việt Nam's coffee export value increased by over 37 per cent during this period, though its export volume decreased by 22 per cent.

On the domestic market, coffee prices in the Central Highlands and southern provinces also reached a record high. On March 14, the price hit approximately VNĐ139,000 ($5.44) per kilo, which is 50 per cent higher than the same period last year.

Prices are expected to rise further in the second quarter due to a supply shortage.

In addition to coffee, Việt Nam’s pepper exports experienced a decline in volume but saw a 50 per cent increase in value year-on-year. Consequently, the country earned $184.4 million from exporting 27,274 tonnes of pepper in the two-month period. — VNS