Produce exports expected to top $2b in 2015

Sep 30th at 10:42
30-09-2015 10:42:03+07:00

Produce exports expected to top $2b in 2015

Fruit and vegetable exports are expected to reach US$2 billion this year as more and more countries have opened their door to Vietnamese fruits and vegetables.

 

Earnings from fruit and vegetable exports have increased strongly in recent years, from $460 million in 2010 to $1.47 billion last year, according to the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association.

The figure topped nearly $1.3 billion in the first nine months of the year.

Viet Nam exports 40 kinds of fruits and vegetables to 40 countries and territories, according to Dr Nguyen Huu Dat, director of the Post-Import Plant Quarantine Centre II under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Last year, more than 1.6 million tonnes of fruits and vegetables were exported, of which dragon fruit accounted for more than 997,000 tonnes, watermelon nearly 300,000 tonnes, longan more than 100,000 tonnes, litchi over 70,000 tonnes and rambutan 600 tonnes.

Dat said export of fresh fruit to choosy markets last year went up by 1.5 times over 2013, with more than 3,000 tonnes of fresh fruits exported.

In the first seven months of this year, a similar amount was exported to the US, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Chile, he said at a seminar held in HCM City last week.

Viet Nam started to export dragon fruit to the US market in 2008, with only 100 tonnes in that year.

The export volume has steadily increased, reaching 1,500 tonnes last year and 1,152 tonnes in the first seven months of this year.

Rambutan exports to the market have also increased strongly since late 2011, he said.

Last year, the US market began to accept Vietnamese longan and litchi, he said, adding that starfruit and mango are both expected to be shipped to the US by the end of this year.

New Zealand and Australia this year also allowed the import of Vietnamese rambutan and litchi, respectively, and Japan has just opened its market for Vietnamese fresh mango.

Huynh Quang Dau, general director of An Giang Fruit-Vegetables and Foodstuff Joint Stock Company, said its fruit and vegetable exports had enjoyed a growth rate of 15-20 per cent this year compared to the same period last year, with exports to Japan, South Korea and the EU increasing significantly.

Dat said the country's fresh fruit exports still had more room to grow.

However, to develop a sustainable export market, the Government should develop a new export managerial strategy and support farmers and enterprises with post-harvest preservation technology, he said.

Local firms would need to be more active in seeking new long-term export contracts, he added.

Professor Nguyen Quoc Vong of Australia's RMIT University said the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community by the end of this year as well as existing and future Free Trade Agreements, including the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), would open opportunities to boost exports of Vietnamese farm produce.

But to capitalise on these opportunities, the products must meet safety and quality standards and have reasonable prices, he said.

bizhub



NEWS SAME CATEGORY

Viet Nam seeks aviation investment

Viet Nam is creating a framework to stimulate private investments in the aviation industry, as public-private partnerships for development of this sector has become...

Russia firms eye VN opportunities

A delegation from Russia attended a meeting on co-operation with Vietnamese enterprises yesterday in Ha Noi.

Vietnam’s farm produce faces unpredictable future

Current factors, including the global recession, Chinese yuan devaluation and global oversupply, do not support Vietnamese farm exports, experts say.

Vietnam tops lists of ideal investment destinations

Surveys from several organizations have all concluded that Vietnam is among the most attractive destinations for investors.

GDP grows at 6.5 per cent in nine months

Viet Nam's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an estimated 6.5 per cent in the past nine months of 2015, the General Statistics Office said on September 29.

China’s transport infrastructure initiative to have bad impact on Vietnam’s plan: expert

China’s transport infrastructure initiative, including the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and other related proposals, will pose a...

Vietnam’s fruit, vegetable exports to top $2bn in 2015: association

With more demanding markets opening doors to Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, the Southeast Asian country is expected to rake in US$2 billion from selling its green...

Industrial Parks growing as textiles boom

Savills has announced that large-scale projects approved for the textile and garment industry in the first half drove the development of the manufacturing and...

Vietnam’s productivity puzzle: Should we worry?

The experts at the National Economics University have a message for Vietnam — speed up economic reforms aimed at improving labour productivity, or get left in the...

Hanoi, HCM City have contrasting FDI figures

Hanoi has lowered the target for foreign direct investment (FDI) into industrial zones (IZs), at a time when foreign investors are continuing to flock to HCM City.


MOST READ


Back To Top