According to preliminary data from the General Department of Customs, in May 2024, fruit and vegetable exports reached 665 million USD, up 10.3% compared to the previous month but only up 1.2% over the same period in 2023. Accumulating in the first 5 months of 2024, fruit and vegetable exports reached a turnover of 2.5 billion USD, up 25.7% over the same period last year.
In opposite direction, fruit and vegetable import in May reached 180 million USD, up 16% over the same period in 2023. Cumulatively in the past 5 months reached 816 million USD, up 14% over the same period last year. Thus, in the past 5 months, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable trade surplus was nearly 1.7 billion USD.
Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - informed that unusually hot weather has affected productivity and output of many fruits. In particular, a main product, durian, was greatly affected in output due to heat and insufficient size, causing export turnover of durian as well as fruits and vegetables in general to slow down in May.
Previously, in the first 4 months of this year, China spent about 1 billion USD to import durian, down 32% compared to the same period in 2023. In particular, durian export turnover from Thailand to China decreased 49% over the same period last year, meanwhile, Vietnam's durian supply to this market increased by 82%.
However, since April, due to harvest season of Vietnamese and Thai durians, supply has increased again. In April, price of Vietnamese durian sold in Chinese market reached 4.22 USD/kg, up to 1.16 USD lower than same product from Thailand. This has helped Vietnamese durian quickly expand its market share and many Chinese people can use durian and use it more often.
Currently, Western durian is at the end of harvest season and Eastern and Southern Central Highlands provinces are preparing for a full harvest. It is predicted that in coming months, export turnover of durian and vegetables may increase strongly again.
Also according to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, durian exports to China still lead group of fruits entering this market in both output and value. This is also Vietnam's largest durian consuming market.
Currently, Vietnam is promoting negotiations to open market for frozen peeled durian products to Chinese market and exporting fresh durian fruit to Indian market. Current concern for durian is still improving quality control, harmful microorganisms and managing and using growing area codes to avoid violations as China has continuously warned.
For more information on this issue, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu - Deputy Director of Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) - said that since 2023 this unit has promoted negotiations with India to durian export. After more than a year of negotiations, plant protection agencies of Vietnam and India have finalized a list of harmful pests of mutual concern to agree on control solutions when conducting import and export.

L. Giang
Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn