Vietnamese mangoes to enter US market

By Bui Hong Nhung August 10, 2016 | 12:41 am PT

Mangoes will be the sixth Vietnamese fruit to gain access to the world’s biggest economy.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recently published proposed rules for imports of fresh mangoes from Vietnam and asked U.S citizens to contribute their comments.

This move is likely to lead to mangoes becoming the sixth fruit Vietnam exports to the U.S. market after dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee, longan and star apple.

Experts said that Vietnam will be able to export about 3,000 tons of fresh mangoes to the U.S. each year, equivalent to one percent of U.S. import volume and its total domestic output.

However, fresh mangoes from Vietnam will be subject to regulations that would include orchard requirements, irradiation treatment and port of entry inspection.

The fruit would also be required to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department.

Each year, the U.S. imports about 400,000 tons of fresh mangoes from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Guatamala, while it only produces 3,000 tons.

On July 17, the U.S. department published a decision allowing Vietnam to export star apples to the U.S. from the fourth quarter of this year.

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