Vietnam's GDP growth rate in the first nine months recorded a 5.93% growth and upward trajectory. However, this rate is still lower than the 6.53% of last year due to mass fish deaths in the central region caused by the Formosa Ha Tinh pollution incident.
The country posted a continual GDP rises with 5.48% in first quarter, 5.78% in second quarter and an estimated of 6.04% in third quarter, according to recent report from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam.
The industry and construction sector accounted for 32.48% of the GDP; agro, forestry and fisheries 15.54% and the service sector 41.80%. The remainder was total taxes less subsidies on production.
The report showed that the growth rate of industry and construction sector was 7.50% and there had been a 6.66% rise in services. While industry had good growth of 9.10%, the mining industry continued to drop by 3.60% due to falling world fuel prices, leading to less crude oil output and coal consumption.
The agro, forestry and fisheries sector reached only 0.65%, the lowest rate in the past six years and contributed just 0.11 percent to GDP. The growth rate of agriculture sector was the weakest, at only 0.05% and this was caused by the serious drought this year.
24,449 people left unemployed after the mass fish deaths
Nguyen Bich Lam, head of the General Statistics Office said the mass fish deaths in the central region caused by the Formosa steel complex not only badly affected the fishing and tourism industry but also hindered GDP growth. The consequences would be felt for years. After the disaster, 22,780 households in Ha Tinh Province were affected and 24,449 people left unemployed.
Nguyen Thi Xuan Mai, head of the Department of Population and Labourers Statistics, said, "Out of over 24,400 affected people, over 15,000 people are fishermen or farmers, 1,000 people work in logistics or fisheries businesses, 700 in hotels and restaurants and 428 people are salt farmers."
Quang Binh Province’s unemployment rate increased by 1.1% and about 33,000 people in Thua Thien-Hue Province are affected. Quang Tri Province and Danang City were less affected by the disaster.
As of August 30, the authorities of Ha Tinh Province made plan to send 15,400 abroad to work. This figure may increase to 17,300 with 7,000 sent to work in South Korea's fishing industry.
