It is estimated that in July 2024, fruit and vegetable exports will reach 477 million USD, up 18% over the same period, cumulatively in 7 months reaching over 3.8 billion USD, up 23.4% over the same period last year.

Vegetables and fruits have strong export growth in many markets

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association said that preliminary estimates in July 2024, fruit and vegetable exports reached 477 million USD; an increase of 18% over the same period in 2023. Accumulated 7 months reached over 3.8 billion USD, up 23.4% over the same period last year. Strong increase in market demand has helped fruit and vegetable export turnover from the beginning of the year until now.

Coconut is expected to join the billion-dollar export category in the near future

On the contrary, in July, fruit and vegetable imports were estimated to reach over 200 million USD, a slight increase of 2% over the same period last year. Accumulated in 7 months is 1.2 billion USD, an increase of nearly 13% over the same period in 2023.

Vietnam's top 10 fruit and vegetable import markets all grew from 15 - 96% or more. China is still the market that buys the most Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, accounting for 64% of total export turnover in the first half of the year, up 22% over the same period last year.

Mr. Phung Duc Tien - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - said that Vietnam has officially exported more than a dozen types of fruits to the Chinese market; including: watermelon, mangosteen, durian, fresh banana, sweet potato, dragon fruit, rambutan, mango, lychee, longan, jackfruit. Currently, the two countries have agreed to sign the Fresh Coconut Protocol, opening up export prospects for Vietnamese coconuts.

The second largest export market of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables is Korea, fruit and vegetable exports to this market reached 164 million USD, an increase of 57.9% over the same period in 2023. For the United States; Export value to this market reached more than 157 million USD, up 32.4% over the same period last year. The United States is a potential market for fruit and vegetable exporting countries, including Vietnam.

In terms of products, durian, banana, and dragon fruit are the main export products of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables. Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - said that due to the durian crop failure, fruit and vegetable export turnover in July was also affected.

“In 2023, Vietnam's durian exports will reach their highest value in September and October, with a value of nearly half a billion USD per month. The Central Highlands is the largest durian growing region in the country. When this area enters the full harvest season, it will boost turnover in the coming months," Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen shared.

Sharing the same opinion on this issue, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh - Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vnfruit) - said that in the coming months, durian exports will likely continue to increase strongly; Along with positive signals from the market, the fruit and vegetable industry expects that from now until the end of the year there will be new records and bring in over 7 billion USD in exports for the whole year 2024.

Expect more billion USD export products

Regarding fresh coconut products, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh said that the demand for importing this product in the Chinese market is very large and tends to grow steadily, each year being higher than the previous year. Meanwhile, China's coconut output only meets about 10% of domestic demand, the rest is imported. Therefore, if this product can be officially exported to the Chinese market, it will help Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports continue to grow positively.

"In the near future, fresh coconuts will be officially exported to China, promising that the fruit and vegetable industry will have more billion-dollar export products," Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh shared.

As an enterprise exporting this product, Mr. Tran Van Duc - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ben Tre Coconut Investment Joint Stock Company said; China is an extremely potential market because each year it uses up to 2.6 billion fresh coconuts and 1.5 billion coconuts for processing. Meanwhile, this country's coconut output only meets 10% of consumption and processing needs, the rest must be imported from many countries. With the advantage of geographical distance, short shipping time and low cost, the product will be competitive with other countries. If Vietnam's fresh coconuts can open in this market, coconut exports will have a breakthrough.

“If the Export Protocol is signed and businesses exploit their advantages well, our coconut industry can earn about 300 million USD more from the Chinese market. In a few years, Vietnam's coconut industry can catch up with Thailand," Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen predicted.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen also commented that, along with fresh durian, in the near future, frozen durian and fresh coconut will be officially exported to the Chinese market; We hope that more billion-dollar export fruits will join the Vietnamese fruit and vegetable industry.

Source: Nguyen Hanh - Cong Thuong Newspaper