Preliminary export revenue through September stood at nearly $7.3 billion, up 18.5% year on year. Durian, in particular, has remained one of the main drivers of fruit and vegetable exports in recent months.

Nguyen Van Muoi, chairman of the Tropical Agricultural Business Club and deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said the final figure for September could be considerably higher. Part of the sector’s growth has been fueled by strong Chinese demand for durian ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and China’s National Day on October 1.

Citing August as an example, Muoi said fruit and vegetable exports for the full month reached $1.37 billion, considerably higher than the preliminary figure recorded for the first 19 days of August. This provides grounds for expecting September’s final export value to exceed the current preliminary estimate, he said.

“Historically, from August through October each year, our fruit and vegetable export turnover tends to be very high, with growth driven by durian and other key products,” Muoi said.

In November and December, demand for goods ahead of year-end holidays and festivals in China, South Korea, Japan, Europe and the United States is expected to continue rising strongly.

As the main season for fresh durian comes to an end, other key products such as dragon fruit, fresh coconut, passion fruit, pomelo and mango, along with processed products including dried, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables, are expected to help maintain substantial export revenue.

Muoi cautioned, however, that China and other importing markets continue to tighten inspections of pesticide residues, production unit codes (PUCs) and packaging standards. Exporters therefore need to improve product quality, strengthen traceability and step up internal quality controls before customs clearance.

While these requirements may take businesses more time to meet, Muoi said they would ultimately help make the export process smoother and reduce future risks.

According to Vietnam Customs, China remained by far the largest market for Vietnamese fruit and vegetables through the end of August, with exports reaching $3.9 billion, up 39% from the same period a year earlier.

The United States ranked second among Vietnam’s 10 largest export markets, with shipments worth $428 million, up 18%.

Other markets also posted growth. Exports to South Korea exceeded $233 million, up 10%, while shipments to the Netherlands reached $152 million, up 38%. Germany imported $79 million worth of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, an increase of 43%.

Durian export prices remain stable

Durian prices were generally stable on September 24, although they varied across producing regions.

Grade A Thai durian meeting standard flesh-quality specifications in Dak Lak continued to command high prices, ranging from VND90,000-95,000 ($3.41-3.60) per kilogram.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Grade A Thai durian was priced at around VND70,000 ($2.65) per kilogram, while Grade B fruit fetched approximately VND50,000 ($1.89) per kilogram.

In Gia Lai and Lam Dong, Grade A Thai durian meeting standard flesh-quality specifications was priced at around VND90,000 ($3.41) per kilogram and VND80,000-92,000 ($3.03-3.48) per kilogram, respectively.

Thu Ha