VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s import turnover of fruits and vegetables from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand in the first half of 2016 increased by 2-4 times compared to the same period of previous years.

The country’s fruit and vegetable imports hit $351 million during this period, up 40% over the same period of two years ago, the General Department of Vietnam Customs reports.

Higher volumes of imported fruit and vegetables came from Australia (up four times to nearly $20 million) and New Zealand (double to nearly $11.3 million).

Other markets like the Republic of Korea, India, South Africa and Brazil also experienced relatively high import growth while imports from China saw a slight increase of 30% to $80 million.

Thailand remained the top fruit and vegetable exporter of Vietnam, with $200 million last year and $144 million for the first half of this year.

Thailand replaced China as the dominant player in Vietnam’s fresh fruit and vegetable import market in 2014, with Thai produce making up 38 percent of the import trade in 2015.

The US was also among top three biggest importers with $32 million during the corresponding months.

Prices of imported fruit from the US, Australia and New Zealand are much higher than those of domestic and Chinese fruit.

Barbara Nadeau, Commercial Counselor of Canada in Hanoi, said at an event last week that overall exports of Canadian fresh fruits, including cherries and Ambrosia apples, have increased by 80 percent, reaching $3.12 million last year. Exports of fresh Canadian cherries to Vietnam alone were valued at $1.32 million last year.

Na Son