Agriculture exports soar 20%, led by durian, coffee

Durian exports contributed $3 billion out of the $6.34 billion recorded from vegetables and fruits shipment in the period, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Vegetables and fruits exports have surpassed last year’s total and are now at a historic high.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that this year has been particularly favorable for the fruit sector, driven by strong demand from China.

Vietnam has advantage in geographic position and its off-season and high-quality products cannot be competed by other countries, he said, adding that the surge in durian exports to China marked a significant milestone in the country’s trade.

"I believe that vegetables and fruits exports can reach a new historic record of $7.5 billion for the whole year."

Coffee exports also hit unprecedented levels, amounting to $4.6 billion in the first 10 months, up 40%.

The average export price for coffee reached $3,981 per ton, a 57% increase, driven by high demand from key markets, especially the Philippines and Malaysia, where import volumes doubled compared to 2023.

Rice exports maintained strong growth with nearly 7.8 million tons shipped, valued at $4.86 billion.

This represents a volume increase of over 10% and a value rise of more than 23%. The average export price for rice was $626 per ton, up 12%.

Major markets, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, showed robust growth in demand.

Pepper exports jumped 48% to $1.12 billion.

Industry insiders say that 2024 so far has been a record-breaking year for the prices of many agricultural products, driving export turnover to new heights.

At some points this year Vietnam’s coffee price has climbed to the highest in the world. The agriculture ministry expects exports to reach a new record of $60 billion this year.