AsemconnectVietnam - Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports are flourishing, with an annual 28.1% increase in value to 2.59 billion USD recorded in the first five months of this year.

Durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, and banana remain major currency earners, said Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association Nguyen Thanh Binh.
He predicted the positive trend will continue, citing abundant domestic supply and rising demand from both traditional and emerging markets. This optimism is further bolstered by the arrival of peak harvest seasons for key fruits like durian, dragon fruit, pineapple, watermelon, mango, longan, and lychee.
Vietnam targets 7 bln USD in fruit-veggie exports in 2024
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports is expected to peak at about 7 billion USD this year.
The fruit and vegetable sector is hoped to remain a bright spot in 2024 as many businesses reported that orders are full until the end of the first quarter.
Although shipments to Europe and the US are forecast to be hindered by the Red Sea tension, exports to China will be boosted, driven by durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, banana, and mango.
According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export turnover hit 5.6 billion USD last year, up over 60% year-on-year.
The largest importers of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables were China, the US, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Imports of durian from Thailand increased by 82% in four months
Thailand, the world’s biggest durian exporter with a total export turnover of 7 billion USD, became Vietnam's second largest importer of this fruit in the first four months of 2024.
In the period, Thailand spent up to 22.5 million USD importing Vietnamese durian, a year-on-year surge of 82%. This figure is much higher than that of the third ranked market, China’s Hong Kong, with only 3.6 million USD. In 2023, Hong Kong was the second largest import market with a turnover of 20 million USD, followed by China’s Taiwan with 16 million USD.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), explained that in recent times, Thailand increased imports of Vietnamese durian because during that time, Vietnam was the only country supplying this kind of fruit in the world.
Durian emerging as 'golden fruit' among Vietnam's exports
Vietnam is striving to further assert its durian export position and join the billion-dollar export industry with the current advantages in hand, coupled with efforts to better the fruit quality. The country is working hard to tap the potential and expand global reach for the sector.
Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that Vietnam has more than 110,000 ha of durian with a yearly output of nearly 850,000 tonnes.
Thanks to the advantage of high selling prices and the preference of import markets, Vietnamese durian has risen to a much higher position compared to other crops such as pepper, dragon fruit, and rubber. In the last five years, the durian growing area increased by nearly 25% yearly.
High temperatures in Vietnam's dragon fruit production areas reduce yield
This season, high temperatures and dry weather in Vietnam's dragon fruit-producing areas have caused fruit trees in many orchards to dry up, leading to reduced yields and a short supply. Recently, the price of dragon fruit in Vietnam has been about 50% higher than the same period last year. The high temperatures also pose significant challenges to preserving the freshness and quality of the fruit during the logistics process. SPM Biosciences (Beijing) Inc. specializes in post-harvest preservation services for fruits and vegetables. With the peak season of dragon fruit upon us, Debby from the company introduced ANGEL FRESH, their preservative product suitable for dragon fruits, along with its advantages.
Lychee farmers are encountering financial difficulties due to poor harvest
In Vietnam, particularly in Bac Giang Province, a significant lychee production area, farmers are encountering financial difficulties due to a poor harvest, notwithstanding a 50% surge in fruit prices. Oanh, a local farmer, highlighted a drastic reduction in earnings from lychees compared to the previous year. Anh Huy noted that adverse weather ruined lychee blooms, plummeting production by over 90%. Similarly, Giang observed a 30% decline in yield across his 5 ha of lychee orchards, with increased prices failing to compensate for the lower production volume.
Contrastingly, other regions like Hung Yen, Hai Duong, and the Central Highlands reported a 50-60% production drop. Dong Thi Thu Huong, from Minh Tien agriculture cooperative in Hung Yen, mentioned a 20-30% revenue decrease despite higher lychee prices. The Department of Agriculture attributed the poor harvest to unstable weather conditions, including higher winter temperatures and prolonged rain.
T.Huong
Source: Vitic/VNA