Mobile phones surpassed textiles to become the export commodity that raked in the largest value for Vietnam in 2013, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Last year, Vietnam exported as many as US$21.5 billion worth of mobile phones and spare parts, while export values of textiles, traditionally the export staple of the country, topped $17.8 billion.

The largest contributor to the impressive export turnover is Samsung Electronics Vietnam.

The group of commodities that include computers and electronics products and parts comes in third place of the country’s leading exports with a $10.6 billion turnover. It is followed by footwear, which brought in more than $8.3 billion for the country.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also said the automobile industry has posted positive signs compared to 2012. In 2013, Vietnam produced 98,800 vehicles, a 16.9 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, the total export turnover of the agro-forest-seafood industry in 2013 remained at the high level of $19.85 billion, accounting for 15 percent of the total figure, despite many impediments.

The seafood sector enjoyed a 10.6 percent growth, while exports of fruits and vegetables surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first time.

The ministry also released the final figures of the country’s export and import turnovers. Specifically, imports stood at $131.3 billion while exports topped $132 billion. Vietnam thus posted a $863 million trade surplus in 2013, the ministry said.