The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, utilizing customs data, reports that the country's fruit and vegetable exports reached an estimated value of US$6.6 billion in the initial 11 months of 2024, marking a 27% increase from the same period the previous year. This growth is attributed to robust demand in key markets, evidenced by double-digit growth rates in exports. Specifically, in the first 10 months, exports to China surged by 30% year-on-year to $4.1 billion. Concurrently, the U.S., South Korea, and Thailand witnessed significant upticks in imports from Vietnam, with increases of 35%, 41%, and 70%, respectively.
Durian emerged as the leading export item, contributing over $3 billion to the total export value, with China alone accounting for this amount. This positions Vietnam as the second-largest durian supplier to China, holding a 39% market share, just behind Thailand's 60.2%. According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, the general secretary of the association, the demand for fruits and vegetables, particularly Vietnamese durian in China, remains exceedingly high. He anticipates that if the current growth trajectory is maintained, Vietnam could potentially overtake Thailand as the leading durian supplier to China in the forthcoming year or two.
Moreover, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export sector is on track to achieve a record $7 billion in revenue for the year. Recent approvals for the export of frozen durian and fresh coconut to China in August have further bolstered the sector, with several exporters reporting substantial contracts for these commodities. For instance, one company has secured a contract to export up to 1,500 containers of coconut. The popularity of coconut, passion fruit, and other agricultural products is also on the rise in the U.S., while Thailand has increased its fruit imports from Vietnam due to domestic production challenges caused by unfavorable weather conditions.
Source: VNExpress