According to the preliminary statistics figures of the General Department of Customs, after a sharp increase in January 2019, iron and steel plummeted by 40.5 per cent in volume and 39.9 per cent in terms of turnover reached 458,867 tons, equivalent to USD 290.95 million exports in February of 2019. The figure also decreased by 3.7 per cent in volume and 13.5 per cent in turnover compared with the same period last year. The iron and steel export price in February increased slightly by 1.1 per cent compared to January 2019 but decreased by 10.3 per cent compared to February 2018, reaching 634.1 USD per ton.

Overall, in the first 2 months of 2019, the country’s iron and steel exports increased strongly by 33.7 per cent in volume and 18.1 per cent in turnover over the same period, reaching 1.23 million tons, equivalent to 773.68 million USD. The average export price decreased by 11.7 per cent over the same period, reaching 629.4 USD per ton.

Cambodia topped the export markets of Vietnam's iron and steel products, accounting for 23.7 per cent of the country's total iron and steel exports and accounting for 22.1 per cent of the total turnover, reaching 290,811 tons, equivalent to 171.02 million USD, up by 73.1 per cent in volume and 62.5 per cent in turnover over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the exports to Indonesia - the second largest market reached 160,295 tons, equivalent to 105.95 million USD, up by 19.3 per cent in volume and 5.6 per cent in turnover, accounting for nearly 14 per cent of the total volume and total turnover.

Subsequently, the EU market accounted for over 9 per cent of the total volume and total iron and steel export turnover of the country, reaching 117,594 tons, equivalent to 70.53 million USD, up by 24.4 per cent in volume and 0, 7 per cent in turnover.

The exports to Malaysia increased by 1.7 per cent in volume but decreased by 4.4 per cent in turnover over the same period last year, reaching 116,355 tons, equivalent to 70.63 million USD, accounting for over 9 per cent of total volume and total turnover.

In general, in the first 2 months of this year, iron and steel exports to most markets increased compared to the same period last year; especially the exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 170 times in volume and 95.7 times in turnover, reaching 3,742 tons, equivalent to 2.47 million USD; to Pakistan increased by 20.4 times in volume and 15.8 times in volume, reaching 22,257 tons, equivalent to 10.47 million USD; to Egypt increased by 10.5 times in volume and 14.4 times in volume, reaching 1,292 tons, equivalent to 0.86 million USD.

In contrast, the iron and steel exports plummeted in some markets such as: to Spain decreased by 85 per cent in volume and 81.3 per cent in turnover over the same period, reached 1,518 tons, equivalent to 1.45 million USD; to U.A.E decreased by 1.7 per cent in volume and 63.5 per cent in turnover to 2,597 tons, equivalent to 1.69 million USD; to Myanmar decreased by 38.5 per cent in volume and 32.8 per cent in turnover, reaching 8,048 tons, equivalent to 5.89 million USD.