Official data from the Customs Department show that Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable trade remained buoyant in both exports and imports in August and throughout the first eight months of 2026.

Fruit and vegetable exports hit a new monthly record of $1.37 billion in August 2026, up 27.6% from the previous month and 44.5% year on year. This was the second consecutive month in which export turnover surpassed $1 billion.

In the first eight months of the year, fruit and vegetable exports totaled approximately $6.15 billion, an increase of 27.7% from the same period last year.

On the import side, turnover reached about $271 million, down 0.3% from the previous month but up 18.8% year on year. During the eight-month period, Vietnam imported approximately $2.12 billion worth of fruit and vegetables, an increase of 26.5% from the same period in 2025.

According to Nguyen Van Muoi, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT), durian continues to be one of the main drivers of the sector’s export growth.

The durian harvest is still underway in the Central Highlands and is expected to make a strong contribution to the sector’s export earnings in September and October. VINAFRUIT expects Vietnam’s durian exports to reach around $4 billion this year.

To sustain the sector’s growth momentum, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said it is continuing negotiations to expand market access for Vietnamese durian and increase its share in promising markets such as India, Australia and New Zealand.

In July, the Indian government issued its fifth amendment of 2026 to the country’s Plant Quarantine Order governing imports. Under the amended regulations, Vietnam was added to the list of countries permitted to export fresh durian to India.

The move has raised expectations among Vietnamese exporters. However, Dang Phuc Nguyen, secretary general of VINAFRUIT, cautioned that businesses need to familiarize themselves with the market, consumer preferences and purchasing power in the world’s most populous country, as durian remains a relatively unfamiliar fruit to many Indian consumers.

He said that in the initial stage, demand is expected to be concentrated in major cities, premium retail chains, imported fruit stores, restaurants, hotels and e-commerce channels.

Earlier, Doan Nguyen Duc, widely known as Bau Duc, chairman of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Joint Stock Company, expressed caution when assessing the market’s potential. He said India, with a population of more than 1.4 billion, could present a major opportunity for Vietnamese durian if the market is fully opened through official trade channels.

However, moving from an agreement in principle to completing protocols and phytosanitary standards and establishing sea and air logistics chains will require a lengthy process of at least another one to two years. Duc said that once these arrangements are in place, Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) will explore opportunities in the market, as the company currently has 2,000 hectares of durian plantations, primarily growing the Monthong and Musang King varieties.

The HAGL chairman said that, for now, the combined durian supply capacity of Vietnam and Thailand is still insufficient to meet demand from their traditional Chinese market.

As one of the region’s largest durian growers, HAGL will closely monitor the progress of trade negotiations but will not rush into the market. Instead, the company will focus on optimizing yields and quality across its growing areas before entering new markets.

Thu Ha