JAN-SEPT PROCESSED FRUIT, VEGETABLE EXPORTS GROW 38%

Workers process fruit at a production facility in Vietnam - PHOTO: ARCHIVES

HCMC – Vietnam earned more than US$1.3 billion from processed fruit and vegetable exports in the first nine months of the year, up over 38% year-on-year, supported by expanded processing capacity and broader market access for key products such as coconut and passion fruit.

Data from the Agency of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that processed fruit and vegetable shipments reached US$507 million in the third quarter alone, a 47% increase versus the same period last year. Total export revenue for January–September amounted to US$1.34 billion.

Coconut-based products, passion fruit items, pistachios and almonds were among the main contributors. Exports of coconut products exceeded US$259 million, while passion fruit products generated more than US$138 million.

China remained the largest buyer of Vietnam’s processed fruit and vegetables, followed by the United States, South Korea, the Netherlands and Japan.

The strong performance reflects investments in modern processing technologies, expansion of raw material zones and improved product quality aimed at meeting international standards.

Vietnam targets annual export revenue of US$8-10 billion for fruit and vegetables, with processed goods expected to account for more than 30% of total value, supported by a designed processing capacity of two million tons per year, according to the nation’s development plan for the fruit and vegetable processing sector through 2030.

Total fruit and vegetable exports nationwide are estimated to exceed US$7 billion in the first 10 months, an increase of about 14% year-on-year, reported the Vietnam News Agency. This raises the prospect of the sector surpassing US$8 billion for the first time.

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association said durian, banana, mango, jackfruit, coconut and pomelo have been key growth drivers. Dang Phuc Nguyen, the association’s general secretary, noted that durian exports could exceed US$3 billion this year thanks to sharp increases in both volume and value.

Vietnamese fruit exporters are also expanding into the U.S., Canada and Japan. Australia recently approved imports of Vietnamese pomelo, marking an advance in meeting food safety requirements.

Source: The Saigon Times