Durian exports boomed in September, helping Vietnam earn nearly a billion USD from fruits and vegetables, up 38% year-on-year and a record high.

According to Customs data, the export turnover of fruits and vegetables in the first 9 months of the year reached nearly 5.7 billion USD, up 34% over the same period last year. In September alone, fruit and vegetable exports exceeded 917 million USD, up 38% and setting a new record. Durian is the dominant product, contributing 65% of the export value, followed by bananas, dragon fruit, watermelon, etc.

China is still the largest market, accounting for 67% of the turnover with 3.8 billion USD after 9 months, up 38% over last year. In September alone, this country spent more than 700 million USD to import Vietnamese fruits and vegetables.

In addition, Thailand surpassed the US to become the second largest market with a turnover of 202 million USD in the first 9 months of the year, up 87%. Countries such as the US, South Korea, and Japan also recorded strong growth with double-digit increases.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, commented that the position of Vietnamese agricultural products is increasingly being consolidated in the international market. China has created many favorable conditions for the import of agricultural products, helping to forecast that this year's fruit and vegetable export turnover could reach 7 billion USD.

According to him, October promises to be the boom time for durian when the main season ends, and Vietnam will continue to supply off-season durian in November and December, ensuring supply when other countries do not have goods. This creates an advantage for Vietnam, helping prices increase.

In addition to durian, other fruits also benefit when entering winter - a time when many countries have difficulties in harvesting, while Vietnam still maintains favorable conditions for growing fruits and vegetables. In particular, the advantage of road, sea and rail connections with China helps save costs and transportation time, creating great opportunities for Vietnamese businesses.

Durian on display at a fair in China in late September. Photo: Dang Khoa

With the current growth momentum, along with increasing demand from China, the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable industry is expected to continue to set new records. It is expected that the export target of 10 billion USD by 2030 is completely feasible.

Previously, in August, Vietnam signed a protocol on exporting frozen durian and fresh coconut to China, opening up many opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products. At the fair in China at the end of September, Mr. Cao Ba Dang Khoa, General Secretary of the Vietnam Coconut Association, said that many businesses have signed export contracts of 30-50 containers, with some units even reaching an agreement to supply 1,500 containers. This is a positive signal for the future of the Vietnamese coconut industry in this billion-people market.

Source: VnExpress