Passion fruit is emerging as one of Vietnam’s high-turnover fruit and vegetable export commodities to the EU, pulling in over USD 116 million in the first seven months of 2026.

According to Vietnam Customs data, fruit and vegetable export turnover to the EU market during the first seven months across the 2022–2026 period recorded an average annual growth rate of 29.4%. Notably, export turnover for the first seven months of 2026 hit a record high of USD 343.3 million, accounting for 7.2% of the country’s total fruit and vegetable export revenue.

Vietnam currently maintains its position as the 23rd largest non-bloc supplier of vegetables, flowers, tubers, fruits, and processed products to the EU in the first half of 2026, marking a 26% increase compared to the same period last year.

Throughout the 2022–2026 period, passion fruit has been a leading revenue contributor, making up roughly 31.89–33.85% of Vietnam's total fruit and vegetable exports to the EU. In the first seven months of 2026 alone, passion fruit exports yielded over USD 116 million, achieving an average growth rate of 40% over the 2022–2026 span.

Other commodities such as mango reached nearly USD 41.2 million, and coconuts hit nearly USD 35.7 million, with average growth rates during 2022–2026 standing at 34.4% and 51.3%, respectively. Furthermore, products like pineapples, dragon fruit, and limes continued to post favorable export figures, expanding year by year.

Significantly, strawberries are emerging as a newly favored product in the EU, reaching USD 4.8 million and accounting for about 1.4% of Vietnam's total fruit and vegetable export turnover to this market.

Data on the structural composition of Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports to the EU in the first seven months of 2026 also clearly reflects a shift toward specialization, focusing on major distribution gateways and expanding into processed product groups.

Among them, the Netherlands retained its lead as the top destination for Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports, pulling in approximately USD 134.8 million in the first seven months of 2026 and accounting for a 39.27% share of total exports to the EU.

The Netherlands also serves as the largest logistics hub. Vietnamese agricultural produce arriving at the Port of Rotterdam is subsequently distributed onward to Germany, Belgium, France, and Nordic countries.

Germany followed as the second-largest destination, with Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports reaching over USD 68.9 million in the first seven months of 2026, capturing a 20.07% market share within the EU. Germany registers robust demand for tropical fruits, bottled fruit juices, and processed or dried vegetables.

Meanwhile, France exhibits demand for premium fresh fruits such as dragon fruit, passion fruit, and mangoes to serve Asian diaspora communities and local consumers, while Belgium acts as a supporting logistics hub alongside the Netherlands. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export values to France and Belgium reached USD 36.36 million and over USD 10 million, respectively.

Other markets such as Italy, Spain, and Poland accounted for smaller shares but maintained steady export growth rates. These markets demonstrate demand for processed fruit and vegetable raw materials used in the food processing industry.

Nguyen Van Muoi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, assessed that the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is delivering substantial tariff advantages, enabling Vietnamese produce to compete more effectively on price against rivals from South America and Africa.

Concurrently, investments in preservation technologies and deep processing—such as juice production and drying—help enterprises alleviate pressures during long-haul transport. Consequently, alongside fresh fruits like dragon fruit, mango, passion fruit, and coconut, processed fruits, vegetables, and spices have gained additional headroom to expand exports to the EU.

However, Muoi also pointed out two major challenges confronting businesses.

First, the EU is stepping up inspection frequencies and tightening maximum residue limit (MRL) regulations for fresh agricultural produce, particularly dragon fruit.

Second, for items falling within the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), enterprises must fulfill rigorous traceability and accountability requirements.

Amid increasingly stringent import standards, businesses must proactively update EU regulations, standardize raw material zones, enforce quality controls, and finalize traceability dossiers to maintain and expand market presence.

Source: Bao VietNamNet