According to preliminary statistics of Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Vietnam's chili exports in the first 8 months of 2024 reached 8,800 tonnes with a turnover of more than 21.2 million USD, an increase of 6.1% in volume and a sharp increase of 34.8% in value over the same period last year.
Main export markets are China with 7,377 tonnes, accounting for 83.8% of total export output but down 0.2% over the same period last year. Laos ranked second with 970 tonnes, up 48% compared to the first 8 months of 2023. The US ranked third and was also export market with the strongest increase with 163 tonnes, up 143.3% compared to the same period last year.
China has been the largest export market for chili in recent years. According to some experts, because Vietnamese chili is highly spicy and has many different types such as chili, yellow horn chili... all very spicy, it is favored by this market.
Moreover, due to seasonal differences, for example, China has a chili harvest season mainly from June to October every year. In Vietnam, chili is grown in 2 crops, so there are many harvest times from April to early July and from January to February.
Previously, from March 2022, fresh chili from Vietnam was exported to China. All fresh chili shipments must be quarantine treated and relevant parameters clearly noted in the phytosanitary certificate.
In 2023, chili export will reach a turnover of 20 million USD, equivalent to more than 10,000 tonnes, a sharp increase of 107% compared to 2022. Vietnam is one of the largest chili producing countries in the world. The most famous chili growing regions in Vietnam are the Central and Central Highlands regions, especially Da Lat province.
In Vietnam, Mekong Delta has many large chili growing areas, with an area of up to thousands of hectares, creating stable income for farmers. Chili plants in Dong Thap and especially in Thanh Binh district are considered "the largest chili granary in the West". The communes in the island area and the communes along the Tien River are areas with a large concentration of chili growing areas. Fresh chili output is more than 22,500 tonnes/year. According to statistics, chili growing area in Dong Thap province is currently nearly 2,000 hectares/year, with an average yield of more than 10 tons/ha.
In addition, another "capital" of chili in Vietnam in the North is Lang Son province. In this locality, chili is mainly grown in the districts of Chi Lang, Loc Binh, Huu Lung, Van Quan... Traditional chili varieties have been replaced by high-yield chili varieties, with an average yield of about 300 to 500 kg/ha.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn