Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export sector, which reached US$8.5 billion in 2025, is facing constraints linked to limited cold storage infrastructure, affecting price control and product quality.
Ju Liang of Yunnan Agricultural University said the sector lacks a "buffer zone" of modern cold storage, pointing to a durian glut last year when large volumes were transported from southern regions to Hanoi and sold at low prices. Vietnam has around 117 professional cold storage facilities, with limited temperature-controlled capacity for fresh fruit such as durian, mangosteen, and dragon fruit.
Ju compared this with Zhouzhi county in China, where more than 3,000 fruit cold stores are in operation. Storage costs there range from 0.2 to 0.6 yuan per kg per month (US$0.03 to US$0.09), allowing growers to delay sales and manage supply during peak harvest periods.
He said Vietnam could develop cold storage hubs in northern provinces such as Lang Son, near key border crossings with China, to support export logistics and quality control.
Industry participants said the domestic cold chain remains fragmented, with many small warehouses lacking modern systems and sometimes storing mixed goods, affecting export quality. Nguyen Hoang Hai, chief executive of New Era Cold Storage, said the company has invested more than VND2 trillion (US$76 million) in automated systems, including bonded cold warehouses that allow deferred tax payments.
Hai added that constraints also occur before storage, as produce often lacks standardised processing and packaging required for cold chain integration. Luong Quang Thi of ABA Cooltrans said the absence of post-harvest storage forces growers to sell quickly as quality declines within hours, shifting pricing power to buyers.
Post-harvest losses in Vietnam are estimated at 20 to 40 per cent, equivalent to US$3.5 to US$4.1 billion annually. While storage costs are around VND20 per kg per day, Thi said the main limitation is the lack of accessible cold chain infrastructure near production areas.
Industry participants called for logistics land planning, lower electricity tariffs for cold storage, and long-term financing to expand capacity, warning that delays could affect the competitiveness of Vietnam's agricultural exports.
Source: Tuoi Tre News
