Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports tumble to 11-year low

Exports in the first 11 months last year fell 0.8% to $485.2 million, lowest since 2014, according to Vietnam Customs.

Dragon fruits seen in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, November 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Quoc

Annual shipment in the 2014-2018 was over $1 billion. It reached a peak of $1.3 billion in 2018.

Since then, dragon fruit exports began to stagnate and decline as consumption markets and international competition changed rapidly.

China remains the largest destination for Vietnamese dragon fruit, with export turnover of more than $301.7 million in the first 11 months, accounting for about 62% of total.

However, exports to this market fell 4.5% year on year, reflecting slowing import demand as domestic supply becomes increasingly abundant.

But exports to several new markets recorded growth. Shipment to India was nearly $41.8 million, up 6.4%, while exports to Thailand surged 71.1% year on year.

Even so, the scale of these markets remains small and insufficient to offset the decline in the key market.

Exporters said global supply is rising rapidly, intensifying competition, which explains the drop.

China has significantly expanded its dragon fruit cultivation area, with output of about 1.6 million tonnes a year, hundreds of thousands of tonnes more than Vietnam and nearly sufficient to meet domestic consumption, thereby substantially narrowing import demand.

India is also gradually joining the group of dragon fruit-producing countries. India’s dragon fruit cultivation area is currently around 3,000–4,000 hectares, according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and industry reports.

The country’s output is now about 12,000 tonnes a year, still modest but on an expanding trend.

Mexico has successfully cultivated dragon fruit, directly competing with Vietnam in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Business representatives said that in the early 2010s, Vietnamese dragon fruit was exported smoothly to the U.S.

However, from 2019, when Mexico expanded production with the geographical advantage of proximity to the North American market, Vietnam has almost ceased exporting white-fleshed dragon fruit to the U.S. and Canada, except for a small volume of red-fleshed dragon fruit.

Businesses forecast that in the short term, dragon fruit output and export turnover are unlikely to recover soon, while prices are also unlikely to rise sharply if China and India continue to expand production.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, secretary-general of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said farmers and businesses need to reassess markets and competitive advantages.

In addition to improving quality and product presentation, the dragon fruit sector should adjust cultivation timing and increase the share of off-season production, especially at the beginning and end of the year, when China and India face difficulties due to weather factors.