Talking to the media on the occasion of the recent 20th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) in Nanning city, China's Guangxi province, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said Vietnam will continue to negotiate with China on protocols for imports and exports, especially watermelon, frozen durian, chili, medicinal herbs and citrus fruits.

If these issues are taken care of, bilateral trade will be favourable and the exponential growth rate will continue, stated Tien.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam earned 3.45 billion USD from exporting vegetables and fruits in the first eight months of 2023, up 57.5% year-on-year.

Currently, China remains Vietnam’s biggest veggie and fruit importer, accounting for 65% of the revenue.

General Director of Chanh Thu Fruit Export - Import Group Joint Stock Company Ngo Tuong Vy said that although China has tightend control over technical barriers and food safety and hygiene, Vietnamese fruits, with increasingly high quality and competitive prices, are favoured by Chinese consumers.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, durian and jackfruit are tropical fruits that can only be grown in low quality in China, so the potential for these fruits from Vietnam to enter this market is massive.

According to the Vietnam Institute of Strategy and Policy for Industry and Trade, to better exploit the Chinese market, localities and exporters need to build product brands and export via official channels, to ensure the quality and avoid unnecessary risks. Localities and enterprises should also increase the application of production models in accordance with VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards to fully meet China's increasingly strict quarantine regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development forecast that if the current growth pace is maintained, the country's fruit and vegetable export turnover will reach the 5 billion USD this year, two years ahead of the schedule./.