Preservation technology enhances the post-harvest value of agricultural produce, serving as the bedrock to boost competitiveness, expand market reach, and integrate Vietnamese produce deeper into global value chains.

Extending shelf life not only curbs post-harvest losses, but also broadens commercial horizons for Vietnamese agricultural commodities. From enterprises systematically investing in cleaning technology, vapor heat treatment, and cold storage to industry-wide imperatives to streamline the entire continuum of harvesting, preliminary sorting, storage, logistics, and processing, post-harvest technology is emerging as a decisive determinant of Vietnamese agricultural competitiveness.

Extending shelf life, expanding market horizons

For fresh fruit exporters, geographical distance invariably brings intense time pressures and quality risks. A consignment moving from cultivation belts to end-consumers passes through numerous handling stages, where a single improper storage link can compromise quality, exacerbate spoilage, and undermine compliance with destination market standards.

At Goodlife Company, post-harvest technology is recognized as a cornerstone for maintaining export fruit quality. Tran Nguyen Khanh Vy, Deputy General Director of Goodlife, shared that the company was an early pioneer in adopting vapor heat treatment (VHT) technology, operationalizing it since 2012.

Goodlife currently exports over 5,000 metric tons of fruit annually, including dragon fruit, mango, coconut, and pineapple. Dragon fruit accounts for over 80% of volume, shipping to multiple markets including Japan, South Korea, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe.

For demanding, high-standard markets, maintaining fresh fruit quality throughout the journey requires tailored technology at each stage. Goodlife applies nano-plasma cleaning alongside Japanese vapor heat treatment to eliminate insect pests, satisfying phytosanitary import protocols while inhibiting mold growth and extending storage life. In parallel, invested cold chain infrastructure precisely controls temperature, humidity, and ventilation, integrated with ethylene scrubbing systems to retard fruit ripening.

“Synchronizing these technologies ensures more uniform product quality, extends shelf life, satisfies escalating export standards, and unlocks headroom to capture new markets. Goodlife’s export volume has expanded by over 30% annually. The enterprise plans to diversify further into processed product lines to lift the proportion of value addition rather than relying exclusively on fresh fruit,” Vy stated.

Moving in lockstep with exporters, logistics and supply chain operators are also investing in multi-stage integration. A representative of Toan Phat Irradiation Co., Ltd. noted that preservation technology plays an increasingly critical role in extending agricultural holding times, accommodating long transit voyages, and mitigating supply chain rupture risks.

According to the company, co-locating cold storage directly adjacent to raw material belts and combining stages such as irradiation and storage within a single hub cuts transfer iterations, reduces transit time and freight costs, and minimizes logistics friction. This model aligns closely with decarbonization targets and green logistics development.

The company is actively operating an integrated irradiation-logistics model aligned with international sustainability standards to ensure product integrity, boost reliability, and sharpen the global competitiveness of Vietnamese farm produce.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, noted that Vietnam’s agricultural preservation technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, extending pomelo storage life up to 70 days. This offers a cost-effective competitive pathway for Vietnamese fruits to reach distant major markets.

“Perfecting technological infrastructure from harvesting, preliminary handling, storage, and transit to export clearance has enabled Vietnamese farm produce to sustain rapid growth and broaden its global footprint. The boom in fruit and vegetable export turnover over recent years owes much to advancements in preservation technology. In the first eight months of 2026, fruit and vegetable exports topped USD 6 billion, up 24.9% year-on-year,” Nguyen stated.

Perfecting the post-harvest technology chain

In practice, individual enterprise investments in preservation technology resolve only part of the post-harvest equation. If produce is harvested, sorted, or transported improperly before entering cold storage, baseline quality degrades irreversibly and cannot be redeemed by preservation technology alone.

At Hoang Phat Fruit Company, Sales Director Nguyen Nam Phuong Thao highlighted that exporting fresh fruit to destinations like South Korea, Japan, the US, Australia, and New Zealand mandates strict quality control right from growing belts. For the closing months of 2026, the company projects monthly export volumes of 400–500 tons to South Korea and Japan, alongside 100–200 tons monthly to the US and Australasian markets.

“Importing markets are enforcing increasingly rigorous criteria, particularly regarding pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs) and technical standards. Consequently, businesses must partner closely with farmers to build raw material zones that fulfill these benchmarks. Synchronizing technology across all stages guarantees rapid processing, swift traceability when issues emerge, and reliable delivery timelines for partners,” Thao remarked.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam’s post-harvest losses remain elevated, fluctuating between 20% and 25% of total output. This equates to an annual financial loss of USD 3.5–4.1 billion, accounting for 12% of agricultural GDP.

Addressing this challenge, Dr. Le Minh Hung, Director of the Sub-Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology, pointed out that while recent investments in technology and machinery have gradually reduced losses, bottlenecks persist across several links—notably the harvesting stage, which lacks appropriate mechanized equipment.

According to the Sub-Institute, complex topography, climate variations, dispersed production zones, and fragmented smallholder scales hinder the deployment of harvesting machinery. Furthermore, technology research and commercialization pathways remain constrained.

While Vietnam has conducted numerous research initiatives on post-harvest machinery and protocols, many findings remain confined to pilot or laboratory scales. Meeting large export volumes and exacting foreign standards requires technologies validated at an industrial scale to ensure operational stability and cost effectiveness.

“To make technology practically viable, research must deliver equipment scaled appropriately for cooperatives and smallholders—easy to operate and deployable directly in fields or orchards. Concurrently, initial sorting and primary treatment should be executed right within raw material belts before cargo moves to packing houses. Moreover, dedicated programs and joint ventures are needed to support enterprises, research institutes, universities, and technology hubs in co-developing, refining, and commercializing market-ready post-harvest solutions,” Dr. Hung stated.

From an enterprise perspective, Tran Nguyen Khanh Vy suggested that supportive policies should focus more intently on facilitating access to science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, automation, and applied research. Concurrently, strengthening operational links between enterprises, research institutes, universities, and hi-tech agricultural parks will accelerate the commercial deployment of research breakthroughs.

For exporters, targeted programs covering market intelligence, international trade promotion, human resource development, and incentives for technological modernization are equally essential. When enterprises are equipped to invest systematically in preservation, processing, and quality assurance, farm produce will not only suffer fewer losses, but also secure greater access to high-value global markets.

Technology is playing an increasingly decisive role in elevating the export competitiveness of agricultural commodities. Translating inherent agricultural advantages into true market competitiveness requires synchronized investments linking the entire value chain—from cultivation zones to packing, processing, and export infrastructure. Once this chain is fully integrated, preservation technology will do more than simply enhance post-harvest value; it will serve as the launchpad to elevate competitiveness, broaden global market share, and anchor Vietnamese agriculture deeper into international supply chains.

Source: VietnamPlus, TTXVN