Vietnam's passion fruit exports increased from US$20 million in 2015 to US$222.5 million in 2023 and exceeded US$202 million in the first ten months of 2025. Full-year exports for 2025 are projected at US$240 to US$250 million based on current trends.
These figures were discussed at the "Sustainable development of the passion fruit industry via value chains" forum held on December 12 in Gia Lai province, attended by government bodies, research institutions, and enterprises.
According to To Van Huan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment's Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the Central Highlands is the country's main production area, accounting for 86.4% of total planted area and 92.5% of output in 2024. Northern provinces represent around 12.5% of the cultivation area. Vietnam has approved 43 passion fruit varieties for commercial production to support export demand.
The crop has a growth cycle of four to five months. More than 80% of production is used for processing and fresh consumption, contributing to export growth. However, the sector continues to face structural constraints. These include inconsistent control of disease-free seedlings, fragmented production, non-uniform farming practices, weak value chain linkages, and limited preservation and processing capacity. Import markets are also applying stricter technical and quarantine requirements.
To address these challenges, the ministry has proposed forming concentrated production zones linked to infrastructure and processing facilities, while limiting unplanned expansion. Measures include promoting contract-based cooperation between cooperatives and enterprises, strengthening origin traceability, prioritising disease-free seedlings, standardising cultivation techniques, improving pest forecasting, and staggering harvest periods to stabilise supply.
Doan Ngoc Co of the Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Environment said that the approval of official exports to China in July 2022 supported stronger integration between farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises. However, climate variability, fragmented cultivation areas, and uneven seedling quality remain constraints. Export markets such as the EU, the U.S., Japan, and China require compliance with food safety, plant health, and production standards, and some export orders cannot be fulfilled due to limited volumes meeting GlobalGAP or market-specific requirements, rather than a lack of overall supply.
The Plant Protection Institute has recommended national standards for disease-free seedlings, stricter nursery oversight, and expanded VietGAP and GlobalGAP-certified production to support export continuity.
Source: VnEconomy
