Vietnam has seen a significant 70% increase in its vegetable and fruit exports, reaching a new record of $5.2 billion in the first 11 months year-on-year. Leading the charge, durian made up 40% of the export value, with jackfruit, watermelon, grapefruit, and longan also experiencing substantial growth ranging from 50% to 200%, as reported by the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association (VFA). Remarkably, for the first time, the export value of vegetables and fruits has surpassed that of traditional agricultural commodities like rice, cashew nuts, and coffee.
China emerged as the top importer for the initial 10 months, purchasing $3.2 billion worth of produce, which represents 66% of the total export value, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year. The United States followed, despite a 3% decrease to $212 million, with South Korea and Japan increasing their imports by 25% to $187 million and 7% to $151 million, respectively.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, the VFA general secretary, attributed the export milestone to the heightened demand from China and other nations. The approval of more durian farming areas for export to China this year has also boosted shipments, alongside enhancements in infrastructure and logistics.
With China considering the importation of fresh Vietnamese coconuts, this fruit could potentially join the list of billion-dollar exports. Meanwhile, Vietnam is actively engaged in discussions with the U.S. and Australia for passion fruit exports and is also negotiating the exportation of grapefruit to Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India.
