Fruit, vegetable export up 17.4 percent in H1

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export was over 2.06 billion USD in the first half of this year, up 17.4 percent year-on-year, the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association (VinaFruit) said.

In June alone, the figure stood at 356 million USD, representing a year-on-year rise of 38 percent, according to the association.

Meanwhile, the country imported 686 million USD worth of fruit and vegetables in the six-month period, a drop of 16.6 percent from the same period last year, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.3 billion USD.

China, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea remained Vietnam’s biggest fruit and vegetable buyers, with the highest increase recorded in the US market (132 percent).

Since early June, Vietnamese and Chinese competent agencies have reached an agreement on plant quarantine to simplify customs procedures for fresh fruit exports.

Dragon fruit, watermelon and lychee have enjoyed impressive increases in export volumes in the two quarters, up 138 percent, 132 percent and 44 percent, respectively.

Apart from the three fruits, six others have been allowed to be shipped to the neighbouring country via the official channel, namely mango, longan, banana, jack fruit, rambutan and mangosteen.

Vietnamese sweet potato and durian are expected to join the list soon./.