Thailand and China were the biggest fruit and vegetable suppliers with a value of US$384 million, accounting for over 60% of the country’s total imports. Of the figure, Thailand made up more than US$274 million while China held over US$110 million. It means the Vietnamese people spend more than VND58 billion (around US$2.75 million) a day purchasing fruit and vegetables from the two countries.

According to the statistics from the Vietnam Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), many types of the imported fruit and vegetables can be found in Vietnam. They include mango, rambutan, dragon fruit, jackfruit, durian and longan from Thailand, or plum, apple, pear, yellow melon, pomegranate, grapefruit and mandarin orange, and cabbage, carrot, kohlrabi, cauliflower and potato from China.

The MARD’s Plantation Protection Department says while Vietnam can grow similar fruit and vegetables, imports of farm produce from China and Thailand will lead to an unhealthy competition.