Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s exports to Algeriacontinued to grow by 29 percent year-on-year to 208 million USD in the first sevenmonths of 2017 after rising by 37 percent in the first half, according theGeneral Department of Vietnam Customs.

Coffee remained the largest earner which saw a shipmentof over 35,300 tonnes for about 76 million USD (up 12.8 percent), followed bytelephones and spare parts valued at 58 million USD (up 5 percent). Rice camethird with exports worth of over 10 million USD, jumping five-fold from thesame period last year.

Algeria is now Vietnam’s second largest importer inAfrica, after South Africa.

Vietnam’s shipments to Algeria were estimated at 271.42million USD in 2016, a year-on-year increase of 37 percent with most of therevenue also coming from coffee and rice.

[Vietnam, Algeria look to beef up trade partnership]

Last year, Vietnam’s trade office in Algeria organised anarray of trade promotion activities, including five workshops on bilateraltrade potential. It also assisted two delegations of Vietnamese businesses toattend international fairs and stepped up communication activities there suchas publishing business news bulletins in French.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also sentstaff members to Algeria to work with local ministries and agencies, seekingways to boost cooperation in the time ahead.

Vietnam-Algeria economic cooperation prospects are plentiful,with Algerian consumers familiar with Vietnamese goods, while Algerian animalfeed, medicine and natural minerals are sold in Vietnam.

In terms of investment, the Bir-Seba gas and oiljoint venture between Petro Vietnam, Sonatrach (Algeria) and PTT (Thailand)became operational in 2015, producing 18,000 barrels each day.-VNA