According to preliminary statistics from Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Vietnam's chili exports in June earned 1.8 million USD with 815 tonnes, down 43% in volume compared to May. In the first 6 months of this year, Vietnam exported 7,326 tonnes of chili with a turnover of 17.9 million USD, up 5.3% in volume and a sharp increase of 31.7% in value compared to the same period in 2023.
In terms of markets, China is the largest export market for Vietnamese chili with 6,338 tonnes, accounting for 86.5%. Laos ranked the second with an output of 669 tonnes, accounting for 9.1%. The US was the third market with 124 tonnes, equivalent to 1.7%.
In 2023, chili exports reached a turnover of 20 million USD, equivalent to 10,173 tonnes, a sharp increase of 107% compared to 2022.
Chili is a familiar fruit to Vietnamese consumers. Farmers consider chili plants to be a 'one capital, ten profits' plant because chili has characteristics of short-term growth, can be intercropped with fruit trees and does not require much care, so it is suitable for cultivation conditions of farmers across the country. Normally, chili plants will be planted around September to November every year. After 2 months of planting, chili plants begin to yield 3 to 4 harvests in about 3 months, with the highest quality fruit with an ideal weight of up to 4 kg per plant.
Since March 2022, fresh chili peppers from Vietnam have been approved for export to Chinese market. Accordingly, all fresh chili shipments must be quarantined by Vietnamese authorities or authorized by Vietnamese authorities and must clearly state relevant parameters in plant quarantine certificate.
For Chinese market, one of reasons why China has increased its import of Vietnamese chili is its high spiciness and variety. Some types of chili for export include: Chili pepper, hot pepper, yellow horn chili, sweet chili, and Chili pepper.
In addition, difference in seasons also helps increase export output. In China, chili harvest season mainly takes place from June to October every year.
In Vietnam, chili is often grown in 2 crops, so there are many harvest times from April to early July and from January to February. Chili is grown scattered throughout provinces and cities across the country. Mekong Delta is considered a chili capital of Vietnam when chili is grown most in provinces of Dong Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Vinh Long and Tra Vinh with a total area of over 7,000 hectares, with an output of about 100,000 tonnes/year.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn