Bright prospects ahead for fruit, vegetable exports to major markets

Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports have enjoyed positive growth in several major markets during the opening five months of the year, including the United States, Japan, Russia, and Australia, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Vietnam is the 13th largest supplier of mangoes of all kinds to the US and the 9th largest provider of fresh mangoes to this market.

Businesses raked in US$1.77 billion worth of fruit and vegetable exports in five months, up 18.0% against the same period from last year. In May alone, such exports brought home US$400 million, representing an annual increase of 48.3%.

Despite these positives, the current fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to hit the country, coupled with the oversupply source in the Chinese market, is anticipated to hinder local fruit and vegetable exports in the coming months.

In contrast, there remains many positive signs for the export of major Vietnamese fruits, especially lychee, to key markets such as the US, Japan, Russia, and Australia.

According to industry experts, Vietnamese lychee exports are expected to enjoy additional advantages in the Japanese market following the first successful consignments of the product to this demanding market.

At present, Vietnam’s Trade Office in Japan has co-ordinated with relevant authorities, supermarkets, and distribution chains in Japan to promote lychee consumption in the near future. Roughly 1,100 tonnes of lychees are set to be shipped to Japan this year.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Trade Office in Australia has also requested that Australian agencies facilitate customs clearance procedures when batches of lychees arrive there.

Approximately 100 tonnes of Vietnamese lychees are due to be exported to South Australia and Western Australia this year, according to the trade office.

The US mainly imported fresh mangoes during the first quarter of the year, accounting for 74.6% of their total mango imports.

Vietnam represents the 13th largest supplier of mangoes of all kinds to the US, and the ninth largest provider of fresh mangoes to the demanding market.

The amount of fresh mangoes imported from the Vietnamese market accounted for 0.1% of the US’s total imports.

Most notably, the US increased imports of dried mangoes and mango juice from Vietnam during the reviewed period.

Of the figure, the US purchased 97 tonnes of mango juice worth US$102,600, representing an annual rise of 340% in volume and 160.5% in value as dried mango imports reached 68 tonnes worth US$83,000.