Of the figure, Vietnam exported US$ 543.5l million worth of goods to Russia, increased by 30.6 per cent over the same period last year.

The major items exported by the country to Russia in the first quarter of this year included bamboo, rattan, sedge and carpet products with $ 0.27 million, up by 85.9 per cent; cashew nuts - $ 12.9 million, up by 78.1 per cent; coffee - $ 53.71 million, up by 89.2 per cent; rubber - $ 3.41 million, up by 35.5 per cent; petroleum - $ 9.31 million, up by 37 per cent; plastic products - $ 3.92 million, up by 56.5 per cent; handbags, wallets, suitcases, hats and umbrellas - $ 5.86 million, up by 38.5 per cent; telephones and components  - $ 275.81 million, up by 36.2 per cent; machines, equipment and spare parts - $ 18.5 million, up by 26.8 per cent; computers, electronics and components - $ 38.7 million, up by 64.2 per cent.

However, in the period, the exports of seafood to Russia reached $ 19 million, down by 1.6 per cent; fruits and vegetables - $ 6.9 million, down by 23.3 per cent; pepper - $ 2.3 million, down by 65 per cent; textiles and garments - $ 19.4 million, down by 38 per cent; and footwear - $ 15.4 million, down by 5.1 per cent.  

In the first 3 months of this year, Vietnam’s imports of goods from Russia reached $ 482.6 million, up by 53 per cent over the same period of 2017.

In the period, the country’s imports of seafood from Russia reached $ 20.5 million, up by 28.6 per cent; wheat - $ 98.6 million, up by 778 per cent; iron and steel of all kinds - $ 95.7 million, up by 858.4 per cent; petroleum - $ 41.9 million, up by 1,192 per cent; chemicals - $ 9.5 million, up by 314.5 per cent; pharmaceuticals  - $ 3.4 million, up by 171.5 per cent; machines, equipment and spare parts  - $ 72.3 million, up by 302.8 per cent; other ordinary metals - $ 16.2 million, up by 107.9 per cent; CBU autos - $ 22 million, up by 24 per cent.

However, the imports of ores and minerals from Russia reached only $ 8.3 million, down by 36.7 per cent; coal - $ 34.9 million, down by 47.5 per cent; fertilizer - $ 18.3 million, down by 34 per cent; rubber - $ 5.3 million, down by 11 per cent; wood and furniture - $ 2.2 million, down by 12 per cent; means of transport and spare parts - $ 1.7 million, down by 63.8 per cent.