Durian exports in 2024 forecast to exceed USD 3 billion, contributing significantly to Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover.

Durian exports in 2024 forecast to exceed USD 3 billion, contributing significantly to Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover.

According to preliminary data from the General Department of Customs, fruit and vegetable export turnover in September exceeded USD 920 million, up 9.1% on the previous month and 37.9% on the same period in 2023. This is a record figure, driven by the durian harvest in the Central Highlands provinces.

For the first 9 months of 2024, the country's fruit and vegetable export turnover reached nearly USD 5.7 billion, up almost 34% on the same period last year.

Vietnam's 10 main fruit and vegetable export markets remain China, the US, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.

China remains Vietnam's largest fruit and vegetable import market. In 8 months China spent about 3.1 billion on Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, up 36% on the same period last year. Next is the US market, which spent nearly USD 227 million on Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, up 35% on the same period last year.

Durian still accounts for most of Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports to the main markets. Durian export value in September is estimated to exceed USD 500 million - the first time this figure has been recorded for the product.

According to Mr Nguyễn Quang Hiếu, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), China spends USD 7 billion a year on fresh durian imports and USD 1 billion on frozen durian imports. This figure is expected to keep rising over the next few years.

This is a market with great potential for Vietnamese frozen durian in the coming period. However, to export to this market, the Plant Protection Department also notes that businesses need to be aware of and comply with the Protocol signed between the two countries, as well as Order 248 of the General Administration of Customs of China.

Therefore, businesses must register and submit complete dossiers approved by the Chinese side, and must have a food safety management system assessed by Chinese Customs against 13 criteria and recognised as equivalent to that country's standards.

Mr Đặng Phúc Nguyên, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association (VINAFRUIT), assessed that the export outlook for the fruit and vegetable sector in 2024 continues to be positive, especially as the Central Highlands durian harvest is under way and lasts until the end of October.

Durian exports in 2024 are forecast to exceed USD 3 billion, contributing significantly to Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover. Therefore, what needs to be done is to ensure quality and quantity while complying with the importing side's standards and regulations, so that fruit and vegetable export turnover can reach new records.

Besides durian, other products exported officially to the market of 1.4 billion people also hold high expectations and contribute significantly to export turnover, such as bird's nest, sweet potato, longan, rambutan, mango, jackfruit, watermelon, banana, grass jelly, mangosteen, lychee, passion fruit, dragon fruit…

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, unfavourable weather with heavy rain since August has affected the harvest volume and quality of some fruits and vegetables such as dragon fruit, mango, longan, custard apple, jackfruit… However, over the first 8 months of 2024, the supply of fruit and vegetables was generally still quite plentiful, with output of durian, guava, jackfruit, passion fruit and orange all increasing, while dragon fruit output fell by more than 6%.

In Q4/2024, fruit and vegetable exports are forecast to continue growing positively thanks to rising year-end demand from world markets, together with advantages from trade agreements and signed Protocols.

Source: Báo Nông Nghiệp Việt Nam