HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached US$1.4 billion in September, setting a historic monthly high on strong durian shipments and rising demand for processed products, customs statistics show.

Export value in September rose 47.2 per cent against August and 52.7 per cent over the same period last year. It marked the highest-ever monthly export value, equivalent to the export value of wood and wood products, which were Việt Nam’s leading agricultural export.  

Fruit and vegetable exports totalled $6.2 billion for the first nine months, up 10.3 per cent over the same period last year, statistics reveal.

According to the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, durian remains the main growth driver, with exports rebounding strongly after a dip earlier this year.

Durian shipments in August reached nearly $589 million, up 55.2 per cent over the previous month and 9.8 per cent over the same month last year, although the eight-month durian export value saw a year-on-year drop of 16.2 per cent to $1.8 billion.

The Vietnam Fruits and Vegetables Association estimated that durian exports could hit $900 million in September alone.

The association's General Secretary Đặng Phúc Nguyên said that the Chinese market is the main driving force for export recovery, accounting for 60 per cent of Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable export revenue.

Exports to China reached nearly $800 million in September alone on increased demand for durian, he said, forecasting a boom in October, when the durian harvest season ends in other countries.

Other fruits also saw strong increases in August, including a remarkable figure for lychees, which went up 58 times the figure of August 2024 as the Vietnamese fruit hit shelves in major US retailer Costco. Strawberry exports also increased 11 times, and avocado, pineapple, and pistachio more than doubled.

Numerous processed products also grew two- or three-fold, reflecting efforts to increase added value for fruit and vegetable products and meet stringent requirements from import markets.

The association said that the exports of processed fruits and vegetables would expand rapidly in the next five years on anticipated rising demand from China, the US, and Europe.

If Việt Nam makes full use of signed trade protocols and increasing investments in deep-processing technology and certified raw material areas, the industry could achieve a two-digit annual growth rate and turn processed fruits and vegetables into a stable billion-dollar export category less reliant on fresh produce, the association noted.

Exports are expected to reach $8 billion this year. According to the association, this means that the goal of $10 billion in export revenue by 2030 is feasible, and could even be reached 1-2 years earlier.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is working with China on opening the market to exports of pomelo and avocado, expected in 2026. — VNS