According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, in the first 9 months of 2024, fruit and vegetable exports reached nearly USD 5.7 billion, a record high, of which durian alone earned USD 2.5 billion. Other fruits such as dragon fruit, banana, jackfruit and mango also contributed significantly to export growth.

Most of the 10 main markets importing Vietnamese fruits and vegetables recorded strong growth, except for the Netherlands. China continued to be the largest market with import turnover in the first 8 months of the year reaching more than USD 3 billion, an increase of 36% over the same period last year, followed by the US, Republic of Korea and Thailand with growth in import value of 35 - 90%.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vietnam's fruit production has continuously increased in terms of area and output. In 2023, the total area of ​​fruit trees in the country reached nearly 1.25 million hectares, an increase of more than 1.6 times compared to 2013. The total output is about 14 million tons. The two largest fruit production regions in the country are the Mekong Delta, accounting for 33% of the area, and the Northern midlands and mountainous areas, accounting for 23% of the area.

The country currently has about 50 types of fruit trees, including temperate, subtropical and tropical fruits; of which the group of tropical fruits has an export advantage. In 2023, the export value of fruits and vegetables reached more than USD 5.6 billion - 1.47 times higher than in 2018 (the year with the highest export value of fruits and vegetables in the previous period).

In particular, durian has achieved a breakthrough growth in export value in 2023, surpassing dragon fruit to the No. 1 position, with about USD 2.2 billion (an increase of more than 5 times compared to 2022). The demand for consumption and the market potential for fruits and vegetables worldwide are large, continuously increasing from USD 222 billion in 2013 to USD 311 billion in 2022, an increase of more than 1.4 times after 10 years.

Vietnam's durian is currently exported mainly to the Chinese market. Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - informed that the export of durian to this market is also facing considerable competition. Accordingly, China is testing the cultivation of 2,700 hectares on Hainan Island and seeking to be self-sufficient in supply from countries with favorable climates. In addition, several Vietnamese enterprises have not been aware of complying with the Protocol signed between the two countries, causing technical violations and the race to export durian from Vietnam to China is increasingly fierce as Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, etc. also participate.

Kylie Nguyen