Fruit, veggie exports set record of US$3.45 billion

Vietnam earned a record of some  US$3.45 billion from fruit and vegetable exports in 2017, rising by 40.5 percent from last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)

A farmer harvests dragon fruit - Photo: VNA

Fruit and vegetable exports in December alone are estimated at US$276 million.

MARD said China, Japan, the US and the Republic of Korea were the biggest importers of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables between January and November. The markets with soaring imports from Vietnam were Japan (70.6 percent), the United Arab Emirates (57.4 percent), and China (54.9 percent).

Meanwhile, the country imported US$145 million worth of these commodities in December, raising total fruit and vegetable imports this year to US$1.56 billion, up 68.1 percent from 2016.

The ministry said 2017 was a “bumper” year for Vietnamese fruits with surging export turnover and entrance into many demanding markets.

MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said there remains huge potential for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in the global market. To tap this potential, the country needs to pay more attention to processing which is still the weakest point of Vietnam at present.

He said many processing plants with high productivity and modern technology are under construction nationwide. 

He also emphasised the need to explore new markets, instead of focusing on traditional ones.