Vietnamese fruit exports to China and Laos surge

The export value of vegetables and fruits reached $1.39 billion, up 19.4% over the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

China led the consumption of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables with 58.7% market share, valued at $576.4 million in the first quarter of the year, up 27.4% over the same period in 2022.

Laos, South Korea and Japan also increased imports of Vietnamese fruits. Exports of Vietnamese vegetables and fruits to Laos increased the most, by 2.8 times.

Durian, jackfruit and banana had a significant increase in exports. In the first quarter, Vietnam's durian export turnover reached $153.5 million, up more than 8.3 times over the same period last year, with China accounting for 87% of the market share with a turnover of $133.6 million.

Thousands of tons of durian have been exported to China every month. Vietnamese durians are ordered in large quantities because of their good quality, suitability for local tastes and prices that are more attractive than produce from Malaysia and Thailand.

Durians in Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta. Photo by VnExpress/Manh Khuong

The quality of Vietnamese bananas is competitive compared with the produce of the Philippines.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export was making its name as the quality was improving and would continue to thrive in Q2.

China and other countries are increasing the cultivation of durian, dragon fruit and banana but Vietnamese products are on another level, according to Nguyen, with farmers taking better care of their crops.

In addition, Vietnamese fruit can be grown all year round, while competitors can only grow during the main crop season. If Vietnam can take advantage of fruit cultivation at times when other countries cannot grow due to weather, their products will not lose market share.

Nguyen forecasted that vegetables and fruits exported to China will earn about $2.5 billion this year.

Currently, the abundant supply is causing the price of fruit in Vietnam to drop sharply.

Durian reduced from the peak price of VND200,000 to VND55,000 per kg. In Tien Giang Province, 1kg of Hoa Loc mangos costs VND51,000, down VND22,700 compared to the previous month.

A single kilo of Java rambutan costs VND20,800, down VND2,800, while a kg of green pomelo costs VND23,400, which is VND1,200 cheaper.