Vietnam looks to earn US$4 billion from vegetable and fruit exports this year, up 20 percent over last year, and durians are expected to fetch over $1 billion, contributing greatly to achieving the target.

Vietnam’s durians have been shipped to Australia, the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and China, with China accounting for the highest proportion.

Although Vietnamese durians have been exported to China via official channels since September this year, Vietnam’s durian export revenue has reached nearly $400 million.

At a ceremony to introduce the fifth International Exhibition and Conference for Horticultural and Floricultural Production and Processing Technology (Hortex) in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday, Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said Vietnam’s vegetable and fruit exports, especially durian exports, will grow positively in 2023.

As China, which accounts for 50-60 percent of Vietnam’s vegetable and fruit export turnover, has scrapped its zero-COVID policy and opened its doors to some Vietnam’s agricultural products, the Southeast Asian country’s vegetable and fruit exports will improve significantly. 

Last year, Vietnam entered into protocols on exporting durians, jackfruits, sweet potatoes and bird's nests to the northern neighbor via official channels.

Vietnam has more advantages than Thailand, the largest supplier of durians to China, thanks to shorter transport time, specifically 1.5 and 7-10 days, respectively. 

As a result, Vietnamese durians are fresher and cheaper than Thailand’s products.

Since early this year, most of the border gates between Vietnam and China have been reopened. 

During the Lunar New Year, or Tet holiday, the export price of durians increased from VND40,000 ($1.7) to VND160,000 ($6.8) per kilogram.

“China imports some $4 billion worth of durians per year, with 90 percent from Thailand and the remainder from Malaysia and Myanmar.

“Vietnam’s fresh durians have been preferred there and may fetch over $1 billion in export revenue this year,” Nguyen said.

To boost the export of other kinds of fruits, such as coconuts, mangos, avocados, pomelos, and tangerines, these fruits will be displayed at the Hortex Vietnam.

With more than 200 participating enterprises from 25 countries worldwide and some 7,000 visitors, the event is expected to help Vietnam’s agricultural products to access new markets. 

This year’s Hortex Vietnam will take place in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City between March 1 and 3.

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