China, 'driving force' for Vietnamese fruit and vegetable growth
2025 concludes with an unprecedented milestone for Vietnam's fruit and vegetable industry. According to statistics from the Vietnam Customs Department, the export value of fruits and vegetables for the whole year reached over US$8.56 billion, an increase of nearly 20% compared to 2024. The Chinese market alone brought in approximately US$5.5 billion, accounting for over 64% of the total export value and continuing to be the largest growth driver for the entire industry.
Compared to the previous year, fruit and vegetable exports to Chinese market increased by nearly 19%, equivalent to over US$870 million. This is not only the highest increase in absolute value but also marks a significant leap in terms of contribution. The acceleration was particularly evident in the last months of the year, with exports to this market reaching approximately US$523 million in December 2025 alone, an increase of nearly 15% compared to the previous month and 75% higher than the same period in 2024.
With this growth rate, Vietnam became the fastest-growing country among the top 10 largest suppliers of fruits and vegetables to China. Vietnam's market share of fruits and vegetables in the billion-person market consequently increased sharply from 18.27% to 22.55%, continuing to hold the position of the second largest supplier, only after Thailand. Notably, while China's total fruit and vegetable imports only increased by about 7.2%, Vietnam's increase of over 30% demonstrates its ability to gain market share, not only due to increased demand but also due to replacing supplies from other countries.
Breakthrough in fruit and vegetable exports in 2025 is closely linked to the increasingly prominent role of the Chinese market. While fruit and vegetable exports to the US only reached approximately $547 million, accounting for over 6% of the total, South Korea and Japan accounted for less than 4% and 3% respectively. This large gap shows that China is not only the largest market but also the "driving force" determining the growth rate of the entire industry.
Main driving force comes from key products, with durian continuing to play a leading role. Demand for durian in China is increasing sharply, while Vietnam has a clear advantage in terms of large production volume, long season, and increasingly stable official export capabilities. In addition, Vietnamese bananas are also rapidly increasing their market share thanks to abundant supply, competitive prices, and shorter shipping times compared to competitors from South America. Dragon fruit, although no longer experiencing the explosive growth seen in previous periods, maintains stable production, playing a "backbone" role in the structure of fruit and vegetable exports to this market.
In an interview with Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that 2025 will be a record year for exports for the entire industry. In the first half of the year, export activities faced considerable difficulties as China implemented additional technical requirements and new control measures. However, Vietnamese businesses quickly adapted by improving product quality, perfecting production processes, strengthening traceability, and promoting official exports. This proactive approach helped Vietnamese fruits and vegetables achieve a strong breakthrough in final months of the year.
Businesses in the industry also acknowledge that Vietnamese fruits and vegetables are increasingly favored by Chinese consumers not only for their quality but also for their competitive prices. If done correctly and with high quality, the growth potential of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in this market remains very large.
Maintaining performance amidst changing "rules of the game".
Entering 2026, outlook for fruit and vegetable exports remains positive, but this is accompanied by increasingly evident risks. From June 2026, China is expected to tighten traceability requirements under Order 280, replacing Order 248. If businesses do not adequately prepare planting area codes, packaging facilities, and compliance documentation, exporting to this market will face many challenges, especially for high-volume products such as durian and bananas.
In an interview with Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), stated that the general trend currently is for markets to strengthen barriers, especially technical barriers. After a year of many positive results in 2025, the next phase will place higher demands on compliance and professionalism throughout the entire production and export chain.
According to Mr. Hieu, the future direction will not only focus on opening up new markets, but also prioritize maintaining and strengthening existing markets, especially Chinese market. Simultaneously, the management agency will strengthen support for businesses in resolving obstacles arising during import and export processes, promote mutual recognition, expand processing measures, and increase options for businesses, helping to reduce dependence on a single market or approach.
Another key point is to strengthen participation of businesses and industry associations right from the negotiation stage. Early participation will help businesses proactively understand technical requirements and prepare to export as soon as the market opens, avoiding a reactive approach that merely follows regulations.
In addition, communication and training efforts will continue to be intensified to change the perceptions of producers. Beyond simply disseminating regulations, specialized agencies will clarify the distinction between production for the domestic market and production for export, thereby enhancing the responsibility of each link in value chain.
“In reality, China remains a large market, bringing impressive export revenue to Vietnam's fruit and vegetable industry, especially for tropical fruits. However, this is also a market that frequently adjusts and supplements new regulations. Even a small change from the importing partner, if not adapted to in time, can immediately impact domestic production and output,” Mr. Hieu shared.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn