Vietnam's export-import turnover is likely to hit a record 500 billion USD in the fourth quarter of 2019, up 5 percent from 2018, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The food processing and drinks industry has seen growth of 7 percent in recent years, with more and more foreign investors deciding to pour money into the sector.

Experts called for making better use of straw - an agricultural by-product abundant in Vietnam's biggest rice cultivating area of Mekong Delta - during a seminar held in southern Can Tho city on January 23.

Australia is a promising market of Vietnam as the country spends 600 billion USD each year on imports.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) announced on January 8 that it has presented an Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC) to Bamboo Airways, allowing the airline to begin commercial flights.

Some 1,069 supply chains for clean and safe farm produce were developed across all the 63 cities and province in 2018, up 350 from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

More favourable policies and support are expected to help promote the use of Can Tho International Airport - a port of entry of Can Tho city and the whole Mekong Delta region.

Most firms in the manufacturing and processing industry were optimistic about their production and business activities for the first quarter of 2019, according to a survey by the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The year 2018 ends with several records, which are the highlights in the national economic panorama, laying the firm foundation for the country to strive to successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and Resolution 142/2016/QH13 on the five-year socio-economic development plan for 2016-2020.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong has called for more efforts to push aquatic product export turnover to 10 billion USD in 2019.

Foreign investment has continued to be poured into Vietnam recently, creating a driving force for industrial property development in 2019, said insiders.

The third Vietnam Rice Festival kicked off in the Mekong Delta province of Long An on December 18.