A durian orchard in Tan Lap commune, Tan Thanh district, Long An province in the Mekong Delta. Photo by VnExpress/Hoàng Nam
Vietnam overtook Chile to become the second largest exporter of fruits and vegetables to China in 2023, thanks to a rise in durian exports.
China’s total vegetable and fruit imports exceeded $24.4 billion last year. Thailand maintained its lead with a turnover of $8.6 billion despite a 2% decline compared to 2022.
Vietnam, with $3.4 billion, saw its market share increase from 8% in 2022 to 14% in 2023, overtaking Chile which had long held second place.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, secretary-general of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that apart from the significant increase in durian exports, the increase in Chinese imports of processed fruits and vegetables from Vietnam was also a factor.
This year, official exports of frozen durian, avocado and coconut to China are expected to increase their numbers further.
Besides abundant supply, Vietnam also has a competitive advantage over competitors like Thailand and Chile in terms of costs and delivery times.
During President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Vietnam, the Chinese side announced plans to open the market to more Vietnamese agricultural products, including fresh coconut, frozen fruits, citrus fruits, avocado, custard apple and water apple.
The visit also led to the signing of a protocol on watermelon exports between the two countries.
Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable exports in 2023 were $5.6 billion, an increase of 80% from the previous year.
China remains the largest market, accounting for 60% of this figure.
