A Sunny Outlook for Vietnam’s Fruit and Vegetable Exports

According to the Vietnam Vegetables Association, durian, dragon fruit, bananas, and longans are the top fruit contributors to the country’s vegetable export growth. In addition to processed products, the main markets also recorded a 10-50% increase compared to the same period last year.

China, Thailand, and South Korea remain the largest markets, with imports from these countries increasing by 30-60% compared to the previous year up until May. Specifically, China imported approximately 1.7 billion USD worth of Vietnamese vegetables and fruits in the first five months of this year, a 33% increase compared to 2023.

The Vietnam Vegetables Association forecasts that Vietnam’s vegetable and fruit exports will continue to thrive in the coming time due to abundant domestic supply and increasing demand from traditional and potential markets. Particularly, durian, which is currently in its main harvest season, along with dragon fruit, pineapple, watermelon, mango, and longan, are expected to further boost exports to China.

The largest durian-growing region in Vietnam, the Central Highlands, will enter its peak harvest season in September and October. Last year, this period saw a record high in durian exports to China due to a supply shortage in Thailand.

This year, the El Nino phenomenon has caused a decline in dragon fruit sales globally. In Europe and North America, the supply from Mexico and South American countries has also been affected by unfavorable weather conditions, presenting opportunities for Vietnamese dragon fruit to capture these markets. Additionally, reduced supply due to climate change has kept dragon fruit prices high in the first months of the year.

Despite a more than 50% decrease in lychee production compared to 2023, Bac Giang province still achieved higher revenue this year due to higher prices. The quality of lychees has also improved significantly as farmers have applied better techniques and scientific advances in cultivation. Moreover, relevant authorities have prepared favorable conditions for exports.

From the beginning of the season, the province promoted trade activities with domestic and foreign partners and strengthened relations with local authorities in border areas to facilitate lychee exports. Bac Giang has 29,700 hectares of lychee farms, with 15,600 hectares of lychees grown according to VietGAP (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices) standards and 82 hectares following GlobalGAP standards. In 2024, Bac Giang exported approximately 24,785 tons of lychees (nearly 29% of total output), mainly to China and some other countries such as the EU, Japan, Australia, the US, and Canada.

In the context of agricultural restructuring, provinces with strong fruit production are focusing on developing key production areas to promote exports. Recently, Son La province successfully exported red-flesh dragon fruit to Italy and Russia. The official export of red-flesh dragon fruit to European markets through formal channels has contributed to stable output, enhanced product value, and promoted sustainable development for this crop.

To improve the quality of dragon fruit, ensure productivity, and increase its value to meet export market demands, Binh Thuan province approved a program to produce dragon fruit according to VietGAP standards. By the end of 2024, Binh Thuan aims to have 10,500 hectares of dragon fruit farms meeting VietGAP standards.

Binh Thuan will establish cooperative groups, linkages, and cooperatives to produce dragon fruit according to VietGAP standards. The Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association encourages enterprises to collaborate with these groups and cooperatives to secure a stable supply of safe dragon fruit for export and consumption, as well as to guide them in registering for the Binh Thuan dragon fruit geographical indication.

In Tien Giang province, the agricultural sector is promoting the sustainable development of dragon fruit export-oriented specialized cultivation areas, economic cooperation, value chain linkages, and expedited code allocation for growing areas. To date, Tien Giang has established nearly 8,600 hectares of dragon fruit export-oriented specialized cultivation areas in various districts, including Cho Gao, Go Cong Tay, and Go Cong Dong.

Regarding fruit exports, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Muoi, Deputy General Director of Vina T&T Import-Export Service Trading Co., Ltd., shared that each market has its own standards and regulations for imported goods. Each country has different requirements for pesticide residue levels, product quality, and weight. Market information is the first aspect that needs attention when exporting agricultural products.

For instance, markets like Australia and the US have stringent quality requirements and well-defined legal regulations. Therefore, growers must pay attention to cultivation techniques, harvesting methods, and post-harvest handling, storage, and transportation processes.

To penetrate these markets, Mr. Muoi suggested that it is necessary to orient the market, associate it with planting area planning and production solutions, and ensure market stability, especially in building brands.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the establishment and allocation of planting area codes and packaging facility codes have yielded positive results in guiding production according to market demands and enhancing the reputation of Vietnamese agricultural products. So far, 7,558 planting area codes have been granted in 56 provinces, and 1,558 packaging facility codes have been approved for exports to markets such as China, the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and the EU.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong, Director of the Plant Protection Department, stated that the department closely monitors fruit trees, especially key crops like dragon fruit, longan, durian, mango, and jackfruit in the Mekong Delta region, to provide timely guidance on staggered harvesting to meet market demands and increase the proportion of certified products (safe and GAP). Additionally, they are reviewing and developing production areas for key export products with favorable markets, particularly large markets; building concentrated production areas; and investing in the development of value chains associated with processing and market development.