Ha Tinh Customs: Striving to regain growth momentum in revenue collection

Vung Ang Customs officers supervise export steel plates of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation. Photo: H.Nụ

Turnover increased but revenue decreased

According to statistics from Ha Tinh Customs Department, in the first quarter, the unit received and handled customs procedures for 3,844 sets of import and export declarations, an increase of 1.26%, with a total import and export turnover of US$1,391.3 million, rising 3.6% over the same period in 2022. In particular, export turnover reached US$620.5 million, growing 34.7% and import turnover reached US$770.8 million, declining 12.6%. As of March 31, the state revenue collection reached VND 1,949.37 billion, equaling 17.77% of the assigned estimate, reducing 37.1% over the same period in 2022.

According to the assessment of Ha Tinh Customs Department, besides the common difficulties of the world economy that are affecting import-export activities through border gates in Ha Tinh province, in the first months of the year, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation is restricting the import of input materials.

However, the export turnover of Ha Tinh in the first three months of the year showed a sharp increase. In particular, key export products such as steel and steel billet increased by nearly 50%, seafood rose by 20%, wood chips climbed by 21%, making great contributions to export turnover in the region.

Accounting for over 90% of total export value, in the first months of the year, the business and production activities of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation also recorded growth with a turnover of US$589.6 million, an increase of more than 47% over the same period in 2022. In particular, steel and steel billet of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation achieved an export turnover of US$574.12 million.

Besides that, wood chips are also considered one of the items contributing to the growth of export turnover through Ha Tinh. According to the assessment of Ha Tinh Industry and Trade Department, in the first months of the year, although export activities of this item have faced many difficulties due to market demand and a decrease in price, thanks to the flexible solutions of enterprises, export turnover still achieved quite high growth. Typically, data from HANVIHA Forest and Production Co., Ltd showed that, in the first three months of the year, the company sold more than 30,000 tons of dry wood chips, growing 114% over the same period last year, revenue reached VND112 billion, an increase of more than 170% compared to the same period last year.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Dao Chi Thanh, Manager of Vung Ang Port Customs Branch (Ha Tinh Customs Department) said that from the beginning of the year, the export turnover of woodchips passing through Vung Ang port reached nearly US$27.5 million, rising 10.5% over the same period; steel and billet increased by 41% over the same period. These are positive signals for the export sector in the area. To accompany businesses operating import-export activities through the area, the Branch always ensures cargo clearance and facilitates businesses.

Accompanying enterprises

A representative of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation said that from the end of March, the company's steel and billet export activities continued to receive many signs of prosperity and expected higher growth in the next months. Meanwhile, in order to accomplish the target of selling 150,000 tons of woodchips in 2023, HANVIHA Forest and Production Co., Ltd is also focusing on overcoming difficulties in the market, ensuring a quality source of goods to maintain stable production and business activities.

According to Mr. Dinh Van Hoa, Deputy Director of Ha Tinh Customs Department, it is forecast that from the beginning of the second quarter, enterprises will promote market search and export goods to other countries. With solutions to clear the flow of import and export goods on all routes, Ha Tinh Customs has closely followed the guiding spirit of all levels from the central to local levels. In particular, Ha Tinh Customs has continued to focus on removing difficulties and obstacles, accelerating the reduction of unnecessary costs for businesses, promptly supporting and promoting import-export activities; arranging staff to perform duty 24/7 to ensure clearance of goods for businesses in the fastest way.

Notably, Ha Tinh Customs focuses on information capture, pioneering in accompanying, supporting, and removing difficulties and problems arising from customs procedures and tax policies for enterprises with specific actions; concern on supporting enterprises, newly established and put into operation projects, enterprises opening declarations for the first time.

Along with facilitating businesses, Ha Tinh Customs would also strengthen tax management, prevent loss of revenue through value, commodity codes, etc., especially items with high tax rates and high import-export turnover; strengthen the inter-sectoral coordination mechanism to combat smuggling and trade fraud to prevent, check and detect fraudulent acts and identify key items with signs of abnormal turnover.

At the same time, to promote export activities, the unit will continue to advise the competent authorities to synchronously implement policies on production development, trade promotion and export; reviewing, supplementing and amending export-related support policies in the coming period.

In addition, actively and closely coordinated with relevant units to effectively deploy tax support solutions following the Resolution of the National Assembly and the Government issued to provide maximum support for businesses to facilitate and help businesses to recover and develop stably, attract new investments, contribute to creating a solid source of revenue for the state budget. In particular, Ha Tinh Customs has been coordinating with Industry and Trade Department, Planning and Investment Department, the Ha Tinh border gate economic zone authority, to exchange and grasp advantages and obstacles of enterprises in the process of implementing regulations related to rules of origin, trade and investment, and free trade agreements, from which having plans to guide and solve them in a timely manner.