Experts: Vietnam can boost mango exports to Japan

Ho Chi Minh City - Yuichiro Shiotani, general director of Aeon Top Value, shared his views on how to improve the quality and competitiveness of Vietnamese mangoes for export to the demanding market of Japan, at a conference held by the Saigon Times Group today, December 12, in HCMC.

Yuichiro Shiotani noted that he had a special interest in the Cat Chu mango, a variety cultivated in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap. However, when checking mangoes in Japan’s Aeon supermarket chain, he found that the prices of Vietnamese mangoes were the same as those from Mexico and much higher than those from Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan, while having a similar sweetness.

Yuichiro attributed the higher prices of Vietnamese mangoes in his country to high logistics costs. Thus, he expressed hope that the relevant parties should work toward reducing export prices by pushing down logistics costs.

Also, the sweetness of local mangoes was not consistent, with degrees of sweetness ranging from 10 to 20, showing a wide disparity compared with mango varieties from other countries. For instance, the sweetness degree of Pakistani mangoes fluctuated between 18 and 20, while Thai and Philippine mangoes were at 15-18, he said.

On being told of the inconsistent sweetness of Vietnamese mangoes, Japanese farmers said Vietnamese farmers could completely adjust their fruits’ sweetness to 20-22 degrees by identifying the most appropriate harvest time, preservation techniques and shipping methods.

Once the sweetness is improved, Vietnamese mangoes will gain favor among Japanese consumers, the head of Aeon Top Value remarked, adding that Vietnam would be able to export at least 100 tons of mangoes through Aeon.

He urged local exporters to study the Japanese market and the preferences of Japanese consumers before deciding to ship local farm produce and other Vietnamese products to the East Asian country.

Moreover, local exporters should make visits to Japan to study a wide variety of products, along with their prices and quality, to make comparisons and apply appropriate improvements to their export items, Shiotani added.