A green-skin pomelo packaging line for export in Mo Cay Bac district, Ben Tre province. (Photo: VNA)

The country earned 3.83 billion USD from exporting fruit and vegetables in the first seven months of 2024, up 24.3% compared to the same period last year. Notably, this sector has seen double-digit growth in the top 10 export markets (excluding the Netherlands).

Recently, the Republic of Korea (RoK) agreed to import fresh pomelo from Vietnam.

According to General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association Dang Phuc Nguyen, the export value of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables to the RoK and Japan is on the rise. In addition to building a brand and position in the traditional Chinese market, the fruit and vegetable sector is increasingly expanding in the Northeast Asian region.

China was the biggest importer of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables in Northeast Asia, accounting for 64% of the total export turnover, up 22% compared to the same period last year. It was followed by the RoK, up 55% year-on-year.

In the future, Northeast Asia will be a strategic market for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, Nguyen said, adding that export companies will not only benefit from tariff advantages but also reduce transportation and logistics costs compared to other markets such as the EU and the US.

According to the Plant Protection Department (PPD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), within the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, Vietnam is allowed to export the largest number of fruit products to China, with 12 official products. China has also approved the temporary and pilot import of Vietnamese passion fruits and coconuts, respectively.

The PPD is working on opening the market for citrus fruits, medicinal plants, and frozen durian to China. Additionally, Vietnam is also negotiating for exporting passion fruit, longan, and lychee to Australia; and passion fruit and grapefruit to New Zealand.

Vietnamese producers and exporting companies must pay attention to continuously updating import regulations in various markets to ensure timely compliance, Nguyen said.

According to Deputy Director of the PPD Nguyen Quang Hieu, the area of durian with newly-granted farming area codes is about 25,000 ha among 150,000 ha nationwide. Vietnam is focusing on not only expanding cultivation areas with farming area codes, but also controlling and managing the quality of products.

A protocol on the official export of frozen durian to China is being promoted, and is expected to be signed in 2024, he said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said sensitivity and strict adherence to international regulations are fundamental solutions for the sustainable development of all sectors, including fruits and vegetables.

The MARD, along with other ministries, agencies, and local authorities, are tightening quality management and monitoring of cultivation areas, he stressed, adding that effective solutions to quality issues are needed to achieve higher growth in fruit and vegetable exports.