Export turnover for vegetables has reached $857 million this year up to April 15, an increase of 30 per cent year-on-year and bringing in $8.2 million to Vietnam each day. Vegetables are therefore Vietnam’s third-highest agricultural and aquatic export, after seafood and coffee.
Growth in vegetable exports is faster than for aquatic products (7.8 per cent) and coffee (21 per cent), with the gap in export turnover narrowing.
Vietnamese fruit and vegetables can now be found in many countries and regions such as the US, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and EU countries like Germany and the Netherlands.
The largest market, however, is China. According to the latest figures from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, exports of fruit and vegetables to Vietnam’s northern neighbor reached $512 million, accounting for 73 per cent of total export value.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Dat from the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Vegetables and Fruit Association (VINAFRUIT) said this is a positive result for Vietnam’s vegetable exports and is supported by a number of factors.
The first is the results of the Vietnamese Government’s trade promotion and market expansion efforts, with fruit and vegetables beginning to gain a foothold in fastidious markets like the US, Japan, South Korea, and the EU.
“Although the value of export turnover to these markets is not large, meeting their high requirements increases the prestige of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetables,” Mr. Dat said.
He added that high demand among international customers is a good opportunity for Vietnam’s exports in the time to come.
He emphasized the role of scientists, the business community, and producers and farmers in efforts to diversify products and product quality and promote Vietnam’s brand.
Total vegetable turnover stood at $2.45 billion in 2016, up 33.6 compared to 2015.