On the first days of 2024, the first consignment of 10 tons of macadamia left Dak Lak province in Vietnam for South Korea. The products will be available at large South Korean supermarkets.

Macadamia is called the ‘queen of nuts’. After obtaining the right to enter the Japanese market, Vietnamese macadamia now can enter the South Korean market. This has opened up more opportunities for Dak Lak and macadamia growing localities to boost their products to Asia and the world.

Several days ago, Cao Phong district People’s Committee joined forces with the Hoa Binh provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and enterprises to hold a ceremony marking the first export consignment of Cao Phong oranges to the UK.

The green light was turned on for Cao Phong oranges to enter the market after they were tested by agencies which concluded that no active element in the list of 900 plant protection chemicals subject to mandatory analysis according to European standards was found in all Cao Phong orange samples.

After 40 years, Cao Phong oranges once again can reach out to the world market. It is proof showing that Cao Phong oranges can enter high-end markets.

Also on the first days of 2024, the first consignment of green-skin mangoes from An Giang was shipped to Australia and the US. The specialty of Mekong Delta now can go further to the world market.

In recent years, ministries and branches have made great efforts to open up new export markets for Vietnamese fruits. The opening of new markets will help boost exports and increase farmers’ incomes.

In 2023, Vietnam exported $5.7 billion worth of vegetables and fruits, much higher than the $3.36 billion in 2022, breaking the record of $3.81 billion in 2018.

After many years of being flat, vegetable and fruit exports have made a breakthrough with export turnover increasing sharply by 69.2 percent in 2023 over the year before. 

Vegetables and fruits witnessed the highest growth rate among Vietnam’s farm produce.

With a record high of $5.7 billion, vegetable and fruits surpassed rice and coffee to have the third highest export turnover in agriculture, following forestry and seafood products.

The durian export boom occurred after the signing of the protocol on exporting durian to China through official channels. About $2.3 billion worth of durian was exported in 2023 alone, which allowed durian growers to pocket billions of dong from the last bountiful crop.

$6-7 billion is new target

After gaining a record high export turnover, Vietnam has set up a new ambitious goal of exporting $6-7 billion worth of vegetables and fruits this year.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien believes that the goal is attainable because Vietnam has great opportunities in 2024 after it successfully opened many markets.

He said when Vietnam signed a protocol on exporting durian to China, it set a modest target of obtaining export turnover of $1 billion. But real export turnover was far exceeded all predictions. This shows the importance of opening new full-tax export markets.

“We are going to sign another protocol on exporting coconuts and frozen durian to China. Once the protocol is signed, export turnover will be even higher,” Tien said, adding that exporting one container of frozen durian can bring much higher value than fresh exports.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is also negotiating to export fresh chili to the vast market.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, secretary general of the Vietnam Vegetable and Fruit Association, said that the quality of Vietnam’s products have improved considerably, meeting standards to enter choosy markets. In addition, the diversity of products is also a factor that attracts foreign consumers.

Nguyen Nhu Cuong from the Department of Crop Production said the growing area of vegetables and fruits in Vietnam is stable, which allows the country to control  production output and export.

“Durian is now the key fruit for export. And if we can export pomelo and coconut through official channels to the US, this will increase farm produce export turnover sharply,” 

Cuong said that Vietnam still has many specialties for export once markets are opened.

Tam An