I. ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

1. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery

Agriculture

In nine months of 2016, the summer-autumn crop area was estimated to gain 31.094 hectares, up 2.8% compared with the same crop last year. The summer-autumn rice productivity of the province was estimated to reach 102,135 tons, up 5.1% against the same crop in 2015; of which the estimated rice production achieved 99,084 tons, grew by 4.8% against the same period last year. Total rice production of the whole year was an estimate of 30.1 ten thousans tons, reached 106.8% of the plan, climbed to 0.8% from the same period last year.

Animal husbandry was generally stable. As of October 1st, the province’s flock of buffaloes had 36,110 heads, increased by 2.1%; flock of oxen had 95,741 heads, raised by 5.4%; flock of pigs had 371,090 heads, increased by 2.4%; flock of poultry had 2,920 thousand heads, went up by 6.6% from the similar period in 2015. The output of live-weight meat for slaughter in nine months of 2016 reached 47,515 tons, went up to 6.2% against the identical period last year, of which buffaloes reached 1,265 tons, grew by 3.9%; beef gained 4,690 tons, climbed by 4.5%; pork reached 34,680 tons, moved up by 6.1%; poultry meat achieved 6,880 tons, rose by 8.8%.

Forestry

In nine months of 2016, the concentrated planted forest area of the province was estimated to reach 619 hectares, up 129% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 2,350 trees, an increase of 1.5% from the same period last year; wood production gained 116,300 m3, a rise of 4.0%; firewood production gained 157,500 ster, a 2,5% increase against the same period last year.

The whole province happened 6 cases of forest fire, burnt 9.3 hectares of forest area, up 67.9%.burnt, mainly planted forest area in localities.

Fishery

Fishing production in nine months of 2016 was estimated to reach 48,801 tons, equaled 90.0% from the same period last year, of which the production of aquaculture was estimated to reach 9,914 tons, up 6.4%; the production of fishing caught gained 38,887 tons, equaled 86.6% against the same period last year.

2. Industry

Generally, Industrial Production Index (IPI) in September was estimated to increase by 11.7% against last month and 10.9% from the same period last year while IPI in nine months increased by 8.4% from the same period last year (the plan's target up to 9%), of which the mining and quarrying went up to 6.0%, the manufacturing grew by 8.8%, the electricity power generation and distribution rose 5.2%, the water supply and sewage treatment went up by 3.9%. Value of industrial production in nine months was estimated to reach VND7,294 billion, reached 10.1% of the plan and grew by 9.1% compared to the same period last year (the plan's target increases by 10%).

Consumption index for the whole manufacturing in eight months increased by 8.3% over the identical period in 2015. Stock index for the entire manufacturing as of September 01, 2016 jumped up by 9% from the same period last year; average stock rate in eight months of 2016 was 68.4%.

3. Investment

Generally, the investment capital under the central management in nine months was estimated to gain VND2,473 billion, equaling 82.9% of the same period last year. Rate of capital disbursement from local budget reached 70% of the estimate.

Construction planning and urban development: In nine months of 2016, the province has approved 64 construction plannings; of which some of them have contributed to promote socio-economic development of the province such as Vingroup hotel and trade centre planning, Phong Nha urban planning, general master plan on expansion of Kien Giang and Hoan Lao towns.

4. Trade - Services

Domestic Trade

Total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services in September reached VND1,450 billion, and in nine months of 2016 reached an estimate of 12,610 billion, up 9.1% compared to the same period last year. Specifically, in nine months, revenues from State economic sector were an estimate of VND534 billion, down 25.9%; collective economy reached VND10.9 billion, up 24.5%; individual economy reached VND7,259 billion, up 9%; private economy reached VND4,806 billion, up 15.5% compared to the same period last year.

Index of consumer price in September increased by 0.2% against last month, up 4.78% from the same period last year, up 4.36% compared to December of last year. The average index in nine months of 2016 grew by 3.5% from the same period last year.

Exports and imports of goods

Generally, export turnovers of goods was estimated to reach US$ 7.7 million in September and US$62.2 million in nine months, equaled 79.3% from the same period last year, reached 41.5% of the plan. Main export goods included diverse woods, sea food and rubber.

Generally, import turnovers of goods reached US$ 12.7 million in September and US$85.4 million in nine months of 2016, up 0.3% over the same period in 2015, of which 100% of goods was directly imported from non-State economic sector. Main import goods included wood, live buffaloes, petrol and oil, materials for new medicine production, ceramic...

Tourism

Because of the recent environmental incidents, causing mass fish dealths, the number of tourists to Quang Binh has seen a sharp decrease, coefficient of staying overnight has reached low. The number of tourists to Quang Binh was an estimate of 140.800 arrivals in September and 1.85 million in nine months of 2016, a decrease of 23.2% from the same period last year. Turnovers from accommodations, services and tourism reached VND148 billion in September and VND1,484 billion in nine month, went down by 2% from the same period last year.

Transport

Total turnovers from transport was estimated to reach VND218.7 billion in September and VND 1,900 billion in nine months of 2016, grew by 6.9% from the same period last year.

5. Operation of enterprises

Generally, in nine months of this year, the province licensed certificate of business registeration for 420 enterprises registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 1,957 billion dongs, an increase of 9.2% against the same period in 2015, and revoked certificate of business registration to 53 enterprises. As of September of 2016, the total number of enterprises registered for new establishment was 4,642 enterprises with a total capital of VND25,160 billion.

6. Foreign economy and investment promotion

Foreign affairs

In nine months of 2016, there were 79 out-delegations to foreign countries with 352 people to Thailand, Laos, Australia, China, Korea and America for investment promotion, meeting, studying, training and sharing experience, and 102 in-delegations with 740 foreign people for humanitarian activities, scientific research and investment cooperation in Quang Binh.

From September 25 to 27, the senior delegation of the Party and authority of Quang Binh province paid an official visit and had a working session with Savanakhet province (Laos) on socio-economic situation and cooperation in the past time.

Foreign economy

ODA projects: The province has continuously accelerated the implementation progress and disbursement of ODA projects on schedule. In September, the People's Committee of Quang Trach district held a groundbreaking ceremony of Ba Don urban environmental sanitation and drainage project

NGO projects: In nine months of the year, the province received 12 projects with a total investment of US$663, 000, including 07 projects in health, 03 in education, 01 in justice and 01 in resources and environment.

Investment promotion

Generally, investment promotion activity in the first nine months of the year has achieved many positive results, many foreign and domestic investors have carried out surveys and learnt about investment opportunities such as Ha Noi Travel Corporation, Vietnam Tourism Association, Vietnamese Enterprise Association in Germany, Dohwa Corporation - South Korea, Bombay Finance Group - India, Kinderworld Education Group - Singapore, Cezch - Viet Chamber of Trade and Industry, the Northeastern enterprise delegation of Thailand.

The province has successfully organised a series of investment promotion activities in Bangkok and Pattaya, the Kingdom of Thailand in August of 2016. At the seminar "Investment promotion in Quang Binh" in Bangkok, the province signed six cooperative agreement with foreign partners in the fields of agriculture, industry, trade - services, industrial infrastructures and investment assistance; and seven minutes on tourism connection to bring tourists from Thailand to Quang Binh.

Implementation of key projects

Generally, in nine months of 2016, 96 projects have been approved investment policy with a total investment of 12,035 billion dongs, raising total number of projects up to 530 licensed projects with total registered capital of over 100,000 billion dongs. Of which, there are the key projects such as Hai Ninh luxury resort project of Faros Construction Joint-stock Company with a total investment of 3,600 billion; FLC Quang Binh project with a total investment of 4,800 billion; beef-raising project of Hoa Phat Company with 996 billion dongs, etc.

7. Revenues and expenditures

Total estimated budget revenues in nine months of 2016 achieved an estimate of 2,132 billion dongs, up 9.9% from the same period, equaling 71% of the local estimate, of which domestic revenues reached 2,056 billion dongs, equaling 73.4% of the local estimate, up 15.4%; collecting from export-import balance gained 76 billion dongs, equaling 38% of the local estimate and 48% from the same period last year.
Total budget expenditures in nine months of 2016 reached 5,383 billion dongs, equalling 75.5% of the plan, equaling 18% from the same period last year. Of which, spending for development investment achieved 1,512 billion dongs, equaling 70%; regular spending gained 3,700 billion dongs, equalling 80%;

As of late September of 2016, total mobilized capital ganied 25,910 billion dongs, increased by 10.9% from the beginning of the year and up 13.6% from the same period. Total outstanding debts reached 32,269 billion dongs, a rise of 16% from the early year and up 26.6% from the same period last year.

II. CULTURE - SOCIETY

1. Education and training

The education and training sector has held a meeting to summarize the academic year of 2015-2016 and deploy tasks for the 2016-2017 academic year, approved the plan on education and training development for the 2016-2017 academic year in districts, town and city. The sector has organized training course to improve professional skills for educational managers and teachers; upgraded facilities and equipment for the new school year.

2. Healthcare

Generally, healthcare has been concerned, especially prevention from epidemic diseases. The health sector has actively implemented food hygience and safety, carried out many check-up on food hygience at localities. The medical stations have made a lot of efforts in maintaing treatment and examination for local people, especially poor people and children under 5 years old. The sector has also well implemented health programmes and epidemic disease control, meeting the better demands for treatment and examination as well as healthcare for the people. From the beginng of the year to now, the province had 26 cases of hemorrhagic fever and 26 cases of hand, foot, mouth disease.

3. Sport activities

High performance sport activities in nine months of this year achieved remarkable results: Quang Binh sport delegation won 134 different medals at the regional and national competitions, including 53 gold medals, 42 silver medals and 39 brozen medals), of which 8 medals from international competitions (6 gold medals and 02 silver medals)

4. Cultural activities

The province successfully organized an art program named “A forever-living legend” in memory of the 3rd anniversary of General Vo Nguyen Giap's death; the open boat racing competition with the participation of Khammouane province (Laos) and Bungkan (Thailand); the traditional boat racing festival in Le Thuy and Quang Ninh district to mark the National Day.

5. Labor and employment

In September and nine months of the year, the province has continuously promoted poverty alleviation - employment programme and vocational training and labour export for time-limit working abroad. In nine months of the year, the province had 26,410 laborers provided with stable employments, reached 80% of the plan. Of which 2,232 laborers worked abroad, gained 95% of the plan.

6. Traffic accidents

From the beginning of the year to September 15, 2016, the province had 189 cases of traffic accidents, killing 80 persons and injuring 170 persons. In comparison with the same period last year, cases of the traffic accidents in nine months decreased 6 cases, 8 dead persons and 22 injured persons. Of which, there were 185 cases of traffic accidents by road, killing 77 persons, injuring 167 persons; 04 cases of accidents by railway, killing 3 persons and injuring 3 persons.

By Nhu Y
(Source: Report No.2152/KHDT-TH dated September 30th, 2016)