Vietnam February exports slide

HANOI: Vietnam on Wednesday reported a 15.18 percent slide in exports in February versus a year ago, as falling oil, rice and coffee revenues pushed out the monthly trade deficit to US$170 million.

The export decline, to $950 million from $1.12 billion in February 2001, followed an 8.3 percent decline in January, the government's General Statistics Office (GSO) data showed.

The GSO said imports for February would fall 2.6 percent to $1.12 billion, expanding the monthly trade deficit from $30 million last February.

The GSO gave no reason for the fall in exports, but its data showed estimated export volumes for Vietnam's key crude oil, rice and coffee exports were down in the first two months of the year. -- Reuters