Imported fruit and vegetable output is increasing as more new types of fruit are licensed for import.

Foreign fruits and vegetables are increasingly appearing on the market, with a variety of channels from traditional to online, from urban to rural areas. On the evening of August 12, in Ho Chi Minh City, the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City coordinated with the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) to organize a ceremony to welcome the first official import of California peaches and nectarines into Vietnam.

Many new items appear

According to Ms. Caroline Stringer, Commercial Director of the California Fresh Fruit Association, California is currently the only state in the US that is allowed to export peaches and nectarines to Vietnam. Vietnam is also the 41st market for American peaches and nectarines. "5-6 years ago, we saw the potential of the Vietnamese market when consumers really love fruits and are passionate about high-quality fruits, so we promoted opening the market. In fact, the export of fruits and vegetables from the US to Vietnam has grown very well in recent times. Next, we expect to bring fresh plums from the US to Vietnam" - Ms. Caroline Stringer shared.

The representative of the California Fresh Fruit Association in Vietnam said that this fruit is harvested in the summer, from May to September every year and is classified as a high-end fruit, transported to Vietnam by air. It is currently the end of the season, so the export output is not much, but we expect it in the following seasons.

According to the Plant Protection Department, since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has licensed many new products such as: fresh apples from Italy, peaches and nectarines from the US, fresh Canadian blueberries, South African oranges, and Uruguayan tangerines.

China, although there are no new products, the number of growing areas and fresh fruit packaging facilities in China exported to Vietnam has increased to 4,538 growing areas and 1,703 packaging facilities.

A foreign fruit business at Hoc Mon wholesale market, Ho Chi Minh City

Need to calculate harmony

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT), said that the Vietnamese market with more than 100 million people is very attractive to foreign suppliers. "For example, India, in many recent contacts, has expressed its desire to export pomegranates, grapes and mangoes to Vietnam. All three of their products are very cheap and if they are officially exported, they have a great potential to dominate the market. Regarding mangoes, India is the world's leading producer with 20 million tons, second is China with 16 million tons and Vietnam has only 1 million tons. Therefore, in the future, many types of domestic fruits will face fiercer competition" - Mr. Nguyen predicted.

According to Mr. Nguyen, currently, negotiations to open the fruit market are often 1-1 exchanges. However, in the past, Vietnam tried to open the door to fresh lychees, star apples, etc., but the value brought back was not much because the products only have one season each year and are difficult to preserve. While imported fruits have the advantage of beautiful appearance, easy preservation, transportation and very competitive prices. If not careful, Vietnam will become a trade deficit with that market in the fruit industry. "To ensure the effectiveness of each opening, it is recommended that the authorities choose products that Vietnam has large output, good quality and competitive prices such as: durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, mango, coconut, grapefruit, passion fruit..." - Mr. Nguyen cited.

Mr. Le Viet Si, CEO of Tu Phuong Tony Company Limited (HCMC) - specializing in fruit import, said that the foreign fruit market is currently very competitive as the number of businesses participating in import is constantly increasing, the amount of goods imported is large. The main types of foreign fruits on the market are still apples, grapes, cherries... "Since the beginning of the year, the increase in the USD has caused the cost of imported fruits to increase, but most of the selling prices of products to consumers have remained the same. Even some items such as apples and New Zealand kiwis have reduced prices because of the good harvest" - Mr. Si said.

Mr. Si also added that this year's foreign fruit market has seen a surge in goods from China, which is very competitive due to the abundant quantity, low prices and increasingly improved quality. Therefore, some importers who have not previously traded in Chinese fruits are now participating in the experiment to expand their customers and increase revenue.

According to Mr. Nguyen Binh Phuong, Deputy Director of Thu Duc Agricultural Market Management and Trading Joint Stock Company (HCMC), currently, domestic fruits are in short supply. "Some products are out of season, some are out of season, and the recent increase in fruit exports has also caused a decrease in supply for the domestic market. For example, since mid-June, Chinese mangoes have been imported in large quantities because domestic mangoes are out of season, there are very few, the quality is not up to standard, but the price is high. At the market, imported foreign fruits have all 3 segments: popular (origin: China, Egypt, South Africa...), mid-range mainly Thai fruits and high-end products from Western countries such as: America, Australia, New Zealand with fruits such as: grapes, cherries, Envy apples...

Import up to 175 million USD of fruits and vegetables every monthAccording to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, fruit and vegetable imports in the first 7 months of the year reached more than 1.222 billion USD, up nearly 13% over the same period; on average, Vietnam spends 175 million USD per month just to import fruits and vegetables.By the middle of 2024, China is Vietnam's number 1 source of fruit and vegetables, accounting for 39% of the market share, worth 397 million USD, up 27%; the US is number 2, accounting for 20% of the market share, worth 206 million USD, up 41%. Meanwhile, Thailand is ranked 10th, accounting for 2.36%, worth 24 million USD, up 21%.

Source: Lao Dong Newspaper