Workers produce clothes for export at the Gia Dinh Garment and Textile Company in HCM City. The city's export turnover this year is more than US$30 billion. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vu

The five products with exports exceeding $1 billion in 2012 are textile and garments, electrical and electronic products, rice, footwear and rubber products.

With the deduction of crude oil exports, the city's exports amount to $21.55 billion, an increase of 13.2 per cent compared with the same period last year.

There had been significant increases in the export of processed and manufactured goods as well as hi-tech products, and a steady decrease in the export of raw materials, said Hiep.

Value additions had been seen in the export of rice, coffee, rubber and seafood products, he said.

This year also saw new products with high export growth rates like electronic and computer components.

The city's goods have been shipped to 228 countries and territories this year, marking an increase of four new markets compared with 2011.

Hiep said the city currently had some 18,000 companies involved in international trade.

Speaking at the meeting, the deputy chairwoman of HCM City People's Committee, Nguyen Thi Hong, said the city had done well in increasing its experts this year despite the global and domestic economic turmoil.

She said the city's efforts to help companies overcome difficulties had contributed to the economic achievements of the year.

She also praised the great efforts made by the city's companies to stabilise production and seek new markets for their products.

In 2013, HCM City targets a GDP (gross domestic product) growth of over 9.5 per cent and a per capita income of $4,000.

It also targets investments of VND248.5 trillion ($11.9 billion), accounting for over 36 per cent of the city's GDP; bringing the city's CPI (consumer price index) to below the national figure, and increasing export revenues by 13.5 per cent compared with 2012. —VNS