According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the country exported leather footwear worth $1.9 billion in the first six months of 2007 compared with $1.7 billion in the prior-year period, an increase of 12.95%. For June, footwear exports totalled $380 million compared with $320 million in the corresponding month last year.

Vietnam also exported handbags, wallets, suitcases and umbrellas worth $314 million in the six-month period, an increase of 26.1% over $249 million in the prior-year period. In June, exports of these items totalled $65 million compared with $45 million, in June 2006.

Total Vietnamese exports for the first half of 2007 totalled $22.5 billion compared with $18.7 billion, while total leather exports stood at $2.2 billion compared with $2 billion in the first six months of 2006.