Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and the Netherlands over the past 10 months reached US$1.68 billion, up 23.8 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Vietnamese customs. Of the figure, Vietnam’s exports to the Netherlands hit US$1.24 billion, up 32.2 percent in the review period.

The total value in 2008 is expected to hit around US$2- 2.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 18-29 percent, including US$1.5-1.6 billion from Vietnam.

Most key Vietnamese export products to the Netherlands have achieved high growth, especially footwear despite the EU imposing anti-dumping taxes.

Other products include cashew nuts increasing by 56.3 percent to US$126 million, pepper (31 percent to US$16.7 million), plastics (105 percent to nearly US$50 million) and wood and wooden products (100 percent to US$71 million).

However, exports of some products declined such as coffee (down 43 percent), tin (down more than 13 percent), coal (down nearly 65 percent), and bicycles and spare parts (nearly 18 percent).

Experts said that the global crisis will affect Dutch imports and exports in 2009, however, Vietnam is still one of the Netherlands top four priority trading partners in Asia, along with China, India and Japan.

It is forecast that in 2009, two-way trade turnover between the two countries will reach US$2.4-2.5 billion, up 20 percent compared to 2008. Of the figure, Vietnam’s exports accounts US$1.8 billion, up more than 20 percent.