Kien Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province ofKien Giang earned over 468 million USD from exports in the first nine months ofthe year, up nearly 35 percent year-on-year and over 90 percent of its plannedannual total, reported the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

Accordingly, export earnings from rice surpassed 158 millionUSD, up 23.3 percent; fruit and vegetables hit 6.4 million USD, up more than 40percent; aquatic products at 155.6 million USD, up 11 percent; leather andfootwear reached 121.3 million USD, up 117.7 percent; and other goods reached26.5 million USD, up 44 percent.

The province’s rice, seafood, and footwear were shipped tomore than 30 markets worldwide.

The department said rice exporting has become morepromising, with domestic and foreign merchants buying rice from farmers andforming production-consumption chains.

Footwear has gradually become a key currency earner, contributingto raising the local export value.

The province has also boosted trade promotion such as marketinggoods at domestic and foreign fairs to seek new partners and expand markets, whileremoving difficulties faced by exporters to help them churn out quality goodswith competitive rates and high added values.

A representative from the department said the province strivesto earn more than 191 million USD from exports in the fourth quarter, raisingthe yearly figure to 660 million USD, surpassing the plan by 27 percent and up40 percent annually.

In the remaining months of the year, the province willcontinue ensuring supply to meet export demands, especially for rice and aquaticproducts, while strengthening traditional markets and seeking new ones.

Local exporters will be arranged to attend domestic andforeign trade fairs to seek partners and expand markets.

More attention will be given to the export of competitivegoods and cross-border trade, in particular selling goods to Cambodia via the HaTien international border gate. –VNA