Businesses improve quality, expand international markets
Exporters continued to record positive growth thanks to improved product quality, strict compliance with import requirements, and expanded market access to the US, Australia, Japan, and others. Pomelo’s official entry into the Australian market—following success in the US—has strengthened production and distribution chains.
According to a representative of Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Co., Ltd., the company has recorded favourable export performance in 2025. However, meeting increasingly stringent import standards and regulations poses significant challenges. By quickly adapting to international market requirements, the company has improved product quality, minimised risks, and enhanced the reputation of its export goods.
“At the beginning of the year, exports faced difficulties, but things improved from mid-year onward, especially during the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival periods. Durian prices have risen sharply, accompanied by higher risks; therefore, controlling pesticide residues and meeting packaging standards is extremely important,” the Chanh Thu representative shared.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, export value in October 2025 was estimated at 961 million USD, bringing the total for the first 10 months to 7.09 billion USD, up 15.1% year-on-year. China remained the largest market at 62.9%, followed by the US (6.6%) and the Republic of Korea (3.9%). Malaysia recorded the strongest growth at 70.2%, while exports to Thailand fell the most, down 55.6%.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary-General of the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said enterprises had strengthened the application of high technology and complied with requirements on traceability, planting-area codes, and packing-house codes to meet food safety standards. As a result, Viet Nam’s fruit and vegetable products—including durian, dragon fruit, mango, jackfruit, and coconut—have been exported to many countries.
Durian and banana lead exports
Durian exports were valued at 1.94 billion USD in the third quarter of 2025, up 30.3% year-on-year. In the first nine months, durian export turnover reached 2.76 billion USD, down slightly by 1.7% but still playing a crucial role in total export revenue. Other fruits also recorded positive growth, meeting demand for festivals and Lunar New Year.
China spent 20.3 billion USD on fruit and vegetable imports in the first nine months of the year, with Viet Nam accounting for 20% (equivalent to 4 billion USD), ranking second after Thailand. By the end of September, Viet Nam had exported nearly 620,000 tonnes of durian worth 2.3 billion USD. Vietnamese bananas surpassed those from the Philippines in export volume (568,000 tonnes compared to 416,000 tonnes), thanks to competitive prices.
Nguyen Dinh Tung, General Director of Vina T&T, noted that Viet Nam has successfully exported various fruit varieties to demanding markets such as the US, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Canada, while also meeting China’s stringent technical requirements. Negative feedback rates are very low and have continued to decline over the years, demonstrating the sustainable development of Viet Nam’s agriculture.
With pomelo officially entering the Australian market, total export value is forecast to exceed 8 billion USD by the end of 2025. In 2026, enterprises aim for 10%–12% growth and plan to expand the export of many fruit varieties to global markets.
Capitalising on market expansion opportunities, improving product quality, and developing integrated value chains from production to consumption, Viet Nam’s fruit and vegetable sector is well positioned to reach the 8.5-billion-USD export target in 2025, strengthening its sustainable position on the global agricultural map.
