Vegetable, fruit exports reach historic heights

Fruits and vegetables exceeded all other key produce categories such as rice, cashew nuts, coffee, and cassava, according to a preliminary forecast by the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association (Vinafruit).

The figure exceeded the target by 40%, mostly thanks to China, which accounted for two-thirds of all exports. China imported $3.4 billion worth of vegetables and fruit in the first 11 months, up 148% year-on-year.

There were also increases of between 2% and 31% in demand from other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands.

Durian accounted for 40% of exports, followed by jackfruit, watermelon, grapefruit, and longan, all of which grew by 50-200% compared to the same period last year.

Vinafruit general secretary Dang Phuc Nguyen said that that China has been opening its market to absorb more Vietnamese produce thanks to the signing of several import protocols.

This has resulted in a nine-fold surge in potato exports and six-fold multiplication of chili exports to China. Chinese authorities have also approved the growing of durian, jackfruit, and sweet potatoes in more areas in Vietnam.

Improvements in infrastructure such as roads, warehouses, and cargo terminals also paved the way for more exports. Vietnam’s export prices of sweet potato and durian, for example, remain competitive to those of Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

China is set to open up its market for even more Vietnamese produce such as coconuts, avocados, custard apples, and sugar apples. The two countries have also agreed to sign a protocol on watermelon exports.

The U.S. has recently resumed importing fresh coconuts from Vietnam.

Vietnamese authorities are negotiating to export more fruits to the U.S., along with Australia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and India.