2015 is a good year for Vietnamese fruit exports- notably lychees, star apple, dragon fruit and longan to the USA, Australia, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. Over this first trimester fruit and vegetable exports reached $370 million, increasing by 33% in a year
Amongst the 20 export markets, China is the largest with $131 million dollars and represents one third of national exports and a 44.7% increase in terms of annual variation. The main export fruits are currently dragon fruit, longan, rambutan, mango, grapefruit, star apple, banana and durian.
The Vietnamese longans and lychees are sold to the American market, known to be one of the most demanding in the world due to their strict regulations concerning food safety. New Zealand is also an extremely demanding market in terms of food quarantine, and they authorised imports of Vietnamese dragon fruit in 2014. Washington has just authorised Vietnamese lychee imports, and the USA recently authorised imports of mangoes and star apple. Australia recently authorised mango and dragon fruit imports. Japan might authorise Vietnamese mango exports this year. The authorisation to import these fruits shows that Vietnamese agricultural products can stand up to a difficult market.
According to the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Commerce, national fruit exports reached $1.5 billion in 2014 compared to $1 billion in 2013 and $827 million in 2012. The aim this year is to reach $2 billion in exports.
Over these first few months national fruit exports have been remarkable, 945 tons of dragon fruit, rambutan, longan and mango has been exported to Japan, the USA, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. Dragon fruit represents 80% of these exports, mainly to the USA where 450 tons of the fruit is consumed. Vietnam is currently the only country authorised to export dragon fruit to New Zealand, and has been allowed to export mango there since 2011. New Zealand authorities are also looking into the possibility of importing Vietnamese rambutan, Vietnam recently launched a quality fruit tree development project with financial aid from the New Zealand support programme, which will allow them to find solutions to limit the risks these trees have of disease.