The exports brought home 3.4 billion USD during the first half of 2024, surging 28% year on year, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT) said durian, dragon fruit, banana, and longan were major contributors to exports growth. Shipments to key markets also increased 10 - 50% from the same period last year.
China, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) remain large importers, with their purchases from Vietnam up 30 - 60% year on year by the end of May. China alone imported about 1.7 billion USD worth of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in five months, soaring 33%.
Hung Yen longan festival to celebrate local produce
The northern province of Hung Yen is gearing up to celebrate its prized longan fruit and showcase the best of its agricultural bounty at the Hung Yen Longan and Farm Produce Festival 2024.
The festival will kick off on July 20 and run every weekend until August 10 at the Vinhomes Oceanpark 2 urban area in Long Hung and Nghia Tru communes, Van Giang district.
The organising board will arrange 50 booths, including 26 booths dedicated to fresh longan, a local specialty and other 20 booths featuring agricultural and rural industrial products unique to Hung Yen's districts, towns and city. Other spaces for One Commune One Product (OCOP) items, local cultural and tourism materials are also planned.
Live entertainment promises to add a touch of tradition to the festival, with performances of ca tru singing, drumming, and cheo - a form of Vietnamese traditional opera.
Vietnamese dragon fruit makes a splash at Spinneys debut in Saudi Arabia
Vietnamese exports received a sweet boost on June 24 with the presence of its red and yellow-fleshed dragon fruits at the grand opening of Spinneys, a high-end supermarket chain from the United Arab Emirates.
This marked the first time the Vietnamese dragon fruit has hit shelves in Saudi Arabia. Vietnamese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dang Xuan Dung highlighted the growing presence of Vietnamese agricultural goods, seafood, and canned beverages in Saudi Arabia. He expressed his hope that Spinneys would expand its offerings of Vietnamese products, and pledged the embassy's full support in connecting the supermarket chain with Vietnamese exporters to foster stronger bilateral trade ties.
Ample opportunities for fruit and vegetable export to Germany
Vietnam was the 18th largest exporter of fruit and vegetables to Germany from outside the EU bloc, hitting 9.5 million USD in the first quarter of 2024, up 16.1% year on year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Meanwhile, Eurostat data showed that German imports of fruit and vegetables from outside the EU reached 1.1 billion USD during the period, up 5.1% from a year ago.
Germany is currently not a major market for Vietnamese agricultural produce, but it holds a great deal of potential, especially with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement already taking effect.
In Europe, Germany is one of the largest markets for imported agricultural produce thanks to its advanced economy and diversity in consumers’ tastes.
Durian exports soar by 74%
Vietnam exported US$919 million worth of durian in the first five months, up 74% year-on-year, according to customs data.
This made durian its top fruit export at 3.5 times that of dragon fruit in second place.
Exports of the odoriferous fruit were worth $450 million in May alone, more than double the previous month’s value and an 34% higher than a year ago, the General Department of Customs reported.
They were estimated at $600 million in June, according to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit).
China has been Vietnam’s largest durian importer this year, he said.
Vietnam harvests the fruit all year long, helping it avoid direct competition with durian from Thailand as the latter’s harvest is seasonal, he said.
Being closer to China it also has lower transportation costs and faster shipping times.
T.Huong
Source: Vitic/VNA