Vietnam begins exporting mangos to US

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee and Chanh Thu Fruit Import and Export Co., Ltd co-organised a ceremony to announce the export of the first batch of Vietnamese-grown mangoes to the US, in Dong Thap province, on April 18.

At the ceremony on April 18
At the ceremony on April 18

Mango has become the sixth Vietnamese fruit permitted to enter the US market, following dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee, longan, and star apple. To clear the way to sell its mangoes in the world’s biggest economy, the Plant Protection Department (PPD) applied for a licence in 2009. During the past 10 years, the two countries' plant quarantine agencies have had many technical discussions to agree on the quarantine measures.

To export fresh mangoes to the US, Vietnamese farmers, localities, and businesses have to meet strict requirements. The planting, processing, and packaging facilities must be granted codes for management and traceability by APHIS.

All pre-export shipments must be treated with irradiation, quarantined, and granted phytosanitary certificates by APHIS. At the arrival port, the APHIS will check each shipment.

The mangoes from Dong Thap

After the announcement ceremony, the first batch of mangoes from Dong Thap was put into containers to set out for the US market.

The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has become the first locality in Vietnam to export mangoes to the US.

According to Nguyen Thanh Hung, vice chairman of the provincial people’s committee, the province is home to 9,650 hectares of mangoes, producing 127,000 tonnes of the fruit per year, topping the Mekong Delta region.

Mangoes are among the province’s five key products to be boosted for export.