Vietnam’s “Cash Crop” Fruit Gains First-Ever U.S. Import Approval

The fruit in question is the Milk Fruit, also known as the milk sapodilla.

Vietnam became the first country to receive U.S. approval for exporting fresh milk fruit. In October 2017, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially granted permission for Vietnamese milk fruit to enter the U.S. market after over a decade of negotiations.

Just two months later, in December 2017, the first shipment of milk fruit, including the purple milk fruit and Lò Rèn varieties, was exported to the U.S., marking a significant milestone for Vietnamese fruit exports.

The Specialty Fruit Tree Development Project in Sóc Trăng Province (now merged into Cần Thơ), spanning from 2018 to 2021 with a vision to 2025, aims to reorganize production and establish concentrated areas for growing specialty fruit trees, including pink butter milk fruit and purple milk fruit (the varieties successfully exported to the U.S.).

Among these, the pink butter milk fruit is renowned for its thick flesh, buttery aroma, and sweet taste, making it a prime candidate for development. At the Xóm Đồng 2 Agricultural Cooperative (Thới An Hội Commune, Cần Thơ), several cooperatives have successfully exported this fruit to the U.S. Farmers earn between 50,000–55,000 VND/kg for their milk fruit, 10,000–15,000 VND more than the domestic market price, with average profits reaching 250–300 million VND/ha.

According to preliminary data from the General Department of Customs, in July 2025, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to the U.S. reached approximately 261.6 million USD (over 6.8 trillion VND), a 66% increase year-on-year. Popular fruits among U.S. consumers include mangoes, bananas, pineapples, milk fruit, longans, dragon fruits, and passion fruit.

Sustainable Development

To meet export standards, each milk fruit must weigh at least 250g, be free of blemishes, and show no signs of pests or disease. Farmers use only organic fertilizers and biological pesticides during cultivation. Each fruit is wrapped in two layers, with foam padding to prevent scratches during transport.

The cooperative has established a technical control department to monitor each household’s cultivation process, regularly testing soil, water, and fruit samples. After harvest, the milk fruit undergoes ripeness checks, sorting, cleaning, packaging, and hot steam treatment (VHT) before being shipped to the U.S.

Thanks to partnerships with Vina T&T Group, Cần Thơ’s pink butter milk fruit is now available in major U.S. supermarkets, earning high praise for its sweet taste, distinctive aroma, and creamy texture.