Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable industry is rapidly rising on the global stage. Following major breakthroughs in demanding markets, the country continues to accelerate negotiations to open access to key destinations such as China, South Korea, the United States, Australia, and Europe. These efforts are seen as crucial “leverage” to help the sector achieve a strong breakthrough in the final months of the year.

According to preliminary data from the Vietnam Customs Department, fruit and vegetable exports in September 2025 were estimated at USD 1.4 billion, a sharp increase of 47.2% compared to August and up 52.7% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first nine months of 2025, exports reached USD 6.22 billion, up 10.3% from the same period in 2024 — marking the highest level in the industry’s history and surpassing all prior forecasts.

Durian continues to hold its position as the “star” of Vietnam’s agricultural exports. According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the product saw a significant surge in September thanks to peak harvest season in the Central Highlands, while supplies from competitors such as Thailand declined.

Earlier, in August 2025, durian exports had already rebounded strongly, reaching USD 588.8 million — up 55.2% from the previous month. However, cumulative exports for the first eight months of the year still fell 16.2% year-on-year, totaling USD 1.79 billion.

Beyond durian, other fruits such as bananas, mangoes, jackfruit, passion fruit, and pomelo also posted healthy growth, while exports of watermelon and longan declined. Notably, processed fruit and vegetable products — including melon, passion fruit, pistachio, pineapple, and eggplant — recorded positive signals, reflecting the sector’s trend toward higher value-added processing.

Mr. Nguyen noted that durian demand in China surged due to the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. Lower prices compared to previous years also helped Vietnamese durians reach broader consumer segments, opening new export opportunities in the year’s final quarter.

In an interview with the People’s Police Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, General Director of Vina T&T Group, shared that the company has been one of Vietnam’s pioneers in bringing domestic fruits to high-standard markets. Exports of key products such as durian, pomelo, longan, mango, and dragon fruit have grown strongly in the first nine months of 2025, especially in the U.S. market. The company’s total revenue is estimated to have risen 17–18% year-on-year.

Notably, October 9 marked a historic milestone as the Plant Protection Department, in cooperation with the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, officially announced the export of Vietnamese pomelo to Australia and Australian blueberries to Vietnam.

According to Mr. Tung, the approval for Vietnamese pomelo exports to Australia has attracted strong attention from local partners. Immediately after receiving authorization, the company plans to ship the first four containers of green-skin pomelo to this market. This success is expected to open a “golden gateway” for other fruits, contributing to elevating Vietnam’s agricultural profile globally. Following pomelo, Vietnam and Australia are considering additional market openings for other fruit varieties. The two nations are also enhancing cooperation in quarantine, irradiation, and agricultural trade to build a sustainable two-way supply chain.

Regarding pomelo export potential to China, Mr. Vo Quan Huy (Ut Huy), Director of Huy Long An Co., Ltd., noted that pomelo has not yet been officially approved for export to China despite the country’s vast planting area and high demand. He emphasized that once approved, the product could generate billions in revenue while easing market pressure on durian — a commodity currently experiencing explosive growth.

Addressing the ongoing market access process for pomelo and avocado, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam stated that in 2024, a Vietnamese delegation held discussions with China’s Ministry of Commerce to expedite the approval process. The Chinese Customs inspection team has already surveyed growing areas, and the protocol is in the final drafting stage, expected to be completed in the coming months.

Deputy Minister Nam highlighted that the Chinese market is becoming increasingly stringent, with Vietnam typically securing approval for only one or two new agricultural products each year through a highly detailed review process. As such, Vietnam will prioritize pomelo first, followed by avocado.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien also instructed relevant departments to accelerate formal correspondence with China’s Minister of Commerce to shorten the approval timeline as much as possible for Vietnamese pomelo and avocado.

Source: Bao Cong An Nhan Dan