Vietnam has exported six million tons of rice worth US$3.2 million this year, 21% and 35% up in terms of volume and value from the same period last year.

The Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is completing procedures to facilitate the export of Vietnamese durian to India, said deputy director of the department Nguyen Thi Thu Huong.

China's ban on Japanese seafood due to fear of radioactive contamination has Vietnamese firms seeing opportunities to ship more products, but the gain has been marginal as Chinese demand drops.

High demand from the Chinese market and the repercussions of droughts and floods in various countries prompted an increased import of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables.

Vietnam lured close to 18.15 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) from the beginning of this year to August 20, up 8.2% year-on-year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Global rice markets could come under further strain as the world’s leading rice producer China grapples with heavy rain and flood risks.

Power outages in May and June have cost Vietnam about $1.4 billion, accounting for 0.3% of its GDP, the World Bank estimates.

Apple Pay has arrived in Vietnam, enabling users to make contactless money transactions through an iPhone or Apple Watch.