Continuous good news for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables
On October 19, more than one month after Australia opened its doors to Vietnamese passion fruit, the first batch of passion fruit was exported to Australia by Blue Ocean Trading Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Blue Ocean JSC), located in Lam Ha District, Lam Dong Province.
The official export of the first 1.5 tonnes of passion fruit to the Australian market has opened a great opportunity for Vietnamese passion fruit to enter this market, which is considered one of the most demanding in the world.
The export turnover of fruit and vegetables in the first nine months of the year reached nearly 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 34% over the same period last year.
Previously, on October 15 and 18, two batches of fresh coconuts weighing more than 24 tonnes each arrived in China via Lao Cai Border Gate.
These are also the first batches of fresh coconuts to have been officially exported to the Chinese market through the northern border gates since this market opened its doors to fresh coconuts from Vietnam.
The first batches of Vietnamese fresh coconuts exported to the Chinese market both originated from Ben Tre. This is the latest achievement of the two countries in promoting the import and export of high-quality agricultural products and deepening trade cooperation, in order to implement the spirit of the joint statements reached between the two sides in recent time.
The two abovementioned shipments have extended the good news for Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports. According to the General Department of Customs, the export turnover of fruit and vegetables in the first nine months of the year reached nearly 5.7 billion USD, up 34% over the same period last year.
This is the highest export value ever of the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable industry. In addition to durian, which has continuously made breakthroughs, bananas, coconuts, dragon fruit and mangoes have also recorded spectacular growth rates.
It is worth mentioning that in the first 9 months of this year, agricultural production in general faced many difficulties, with storm No. 3 having caused damage to many factories' raw material areas.
In September alone, fruit and vegetable exports exceeded 917 million USD, up 38% and setting a new record. Durian is the dominant product, contributing 65% of the export value, followed by bananas, dragon fruit, and watermelons.
China is still the largest market, accounting for 67% of export turnover with 3.8 billion USD after nine months, up 38% over last year. In September alone, the country spent more than 700 million USD to import Vietnamese fruit and vegetables.
Fruit and vegetable exports forecast to peak in 2024
It is forecasted that Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports will continue to grow in the last months of the year thanks to seasonal factors. In addition, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports are increasingly asserting their position in markets such as the US, China, and the Republic of Korea.
In particular, Chinese consumers are increasingly favouring Vietnamese durian, banana, lychee, longan, jackfruit, mango, and watermelon thanks to the quality and unique flavour of these tropical fruits.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, commented that China is about to enter winter, so many fruit and vegetables will have poor harvests.
While in Vietnam, winter is the dry season, so it is favourable for growing fruit and vegetables, resulting in high output. In addition, Vietnam is connected to the Chinese market by road, sea, and rail, creating favourable conditions for businesses to reduce costs and time for transportation.
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Enterprises increase processing to increase the export value of fruit and vegetables. |
Notably, enterprises also promote processing to increase the value of agricultural products.
At the ceremony of exporting passion fruit to Australia, Blue Ocean JSC officially opened a frozen fruit processing factory in Lam Dong. The construction of a processing factory in Lam Dong is a strategic step for the company, with the aim to optimise the supply chain from raw material areas to production, supplying the domestic market and exports.
Accordingly, with a total area of 10,000m2 and an advanced technology system, the factory is capable of producing and supplying the market with more than 10 thousand tons of products per year.
The products are processed from advantageous agricultural products of Lam Dong Province, Central Highlands provinces, and the Mekong Delta, such as durian, passion fruit, rambutan, mango, and dragon fruit. All are processed through a quick-freezing process and packaged immediately after harvest, helping to preserve their flavour, freshness and natural nutritional value.
Along with the opportunities, Dang Phuc Nguyen also pointed out that the competitiveness of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables in the Chinese market is increasing. The country is not only increasing imports but also contributing to the rapid development of Vietnam's key agricultural products.
After 10 years, China's dragon fruit growing area has surpassed Vietnam's. Regarding durian, China is testing the planting of 2,700 hectares on Hainan Island and seeking to be self-sufficient in supply from countries with favourable climates.
Therefore, in order to have sustainable development in the Chinese market, the fruit and vegetable industry needs to create and bring the true value of Vietnamese fruits to Chinese consumers.
Product quality, distinctive flavours, and food safety are the core values that we need to focus on developing and maintaining. When Chinese consumers are aware of these values, they will become loyal customers, creating a solid foundation for the long-term development of the Vietnamese fruit industry.
