Billions of dollars spent worldwide on Vietnamese fruit
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Vietnam’s fresh fruit now can reach 40 countries and territories. China remains the biggest export market for Vietnam.
Vietnam has exported four types of fruits to the US, namely dragon fruit, rambutan, longan and lychee. By May 2016, the export volume to the market had reached 1,000 tons, double 2015 exports.
State agencies are following procedures to obtain the license to export mango and star apple to the market as well.
Consuming 4 percent of Vietnam’s total fruit exports, the US surpassed South Korea and Japan to become Vietnam’s second largest importer of fruit in the first quarter of 2016.
As for the Australian market, following the success in exporting lychee to the market, Vietnam was granted the right to export mango to the market.
Taiwan was a large export market for Vietnam 5-8 years ago, when 14,000-16,000 tons of Vietnam’s fruits were shipped to the market each year. But Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports to Taiwan were interrupted after some consignments were found with fruit flies.
About 13 tons of mango had been consumed by the end of 2015 in Japan.
South Korea, with fruit import turnover of $18.6 million in the first three months of the year, is the third largest export market for Vietnam.
In mid-2014, Vietnam’s dragon fruit officially entered New Zealand. In late 2011, New Zealand allowed fresh mango from Vietnam.
New Zealand is not a large market with five million consumers. However, Vietnam still attaches much importance to the market, because the market can bridge other choosy markets such as Argentina, Chile and Brazil.
However, analysts say, Vietnam still finds it difficult to boost exports, mostly because of high transportation costs.
In order to transport 600 tons of lychees to France, for example, exporters have to pay $1.77 million for air service.
Source: english.vietnamnet.vn/
