The ambitious target to earn US$500 million in export turnover set for the handicraft sector in 2005 is likely to be reached.
In the first quarter of the year, Vietnam's handicraft export turnover reached $123 million (not including porcelain and ceramics used for construction), an increase of 22.4 per cent over the corresponding period a year earlier.
The figure in April was estimated to reach $42 million, bringing the total figure for the first four months of the year up to $165 million, up 22.2 per cent against the equivalent period last year.
The items seeing high export value in the first quarter consisted of porcelain and ceramic handicrafts, rattan and bamboo products, jewelry and inlayed products. France remained the largest export market for made-in-Vietnam handicrafts, followed by Germa ny, Japan, the US, Belgium, the UK, Hong Kong, etc.
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