According to Vietnam Customs data, the country’s fruit and vegetable exports to the EU recorded average growth of 29.4% in the first seven months of each year between 2022 and 2026.

Exports reached a record $343.3 million in the first seven months of 2026, accounting for 7.2% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export value.

Vietnam ranked as the EU’s 23rd-largest supplier from outside the bloc of vegetables, flowers, roots, fruit and processed products in the first half of 2026, with shipments up 26% from the same period last year.

Between 2022 and 2026, passion fruit was among the largest contributors to Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export revenue from the EU, accounting for around 31.89-33.85% of the total.

In the first seven months of 2026 alone, passion fruit exports generated more than $116 million. The product recorded average growth of 40% over the 2022-2026 period.

Other major exports included mangoes at nearly $41.2 million and coconuts at almost $35.7 million, with average growth rates of 34.4% and 51.3%, respectively, over the same period.

Pineapples, dragon fruit and limes also continued to generate solid export revenue, with shipments growing year by year.

Notably, strawberries are emerging as a new product gaining traction in the EU, with exports reaching $4.8 million, equivalent to around 1.4% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable exports to the bloc.

Data on the structure of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to the EU in the first seven months of 2026 also show an increasingly concentrated strategy, with shipments focused on major distribution gateways while expanding into processed products.

The Netherlands remained the leading EU market for Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, with exports reaching nearly $134.8 million in the first seven months of 2026. The country accounted for 39.27% of Vietnam’s total exports in the category to the EU.

The Netherlands also serves as the largest logistics hub for these shipments. Vietnamese agricultural products arriving at the Port of Rotterdam are subsequently distributed to Germany, Belgium, France and Nordic countries.

Germany ranked next, importing more than $68.9 million worth of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables during the first seven months of 2026, representing 20.07% of Vietnam’s exports in the category to the EU.

Germany has strong demand for tropical fruit, bottled fruit juice and processed or dried vegetables.

France, meanwhile, has demand for premium fresh fruit such as dragon fruit, passion fruit and mangoes, serving both Asian communities and domestic consumers, while Belgium plays a supporting logistics role alongside the Netherlands.

Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to France and Belgium reached $36.36 million and more than $10 million, respectively, during the first seven months of 2026.

Other markets including Italy, Spain and Poland account for smaller shares but have maintained steady export growth. These countries have demand for processed fruit and vegetable ingredients used by the food industry.

Nguyen Van Muoi, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) provides significant tariff advantages, helping Vietnamese fruit and vegetables compete more effectively on price against products from South America and Africa.

At the same time, investment in preservation technology and deeper processing, including juice production and drying, is helping Vietnamese companies reduce the pressures associated with long-distance transportation.

As a result, alongside fresh produce such as dragon fruit, mangoes, passion fruit and coconuts, processed fruit and vegetables and spices have further room to expand in the EU.

However, Muoi pointed to two major challenges facing Vietnamese exporters.

First, the EU is increasing inspection frequency and tightening requirements on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in fresh agricultural products, particularly dragon fruit.

Second, products falling within the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) must meet the regulation’s traceability and due diligence requirements.

As EU import standards become increasingly stringent, Vietnamese businesses need to keep up with regulatory changes, standardize production areas, strengthen quality control and complete traceability documentation if they are to maintain and expand their presence in the market.

Thu Ha