Dragon fruits for exports (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The IFC, a member ofthe World Bank Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the PlantProtection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmentto support efforts to expand export markets for Vietnam's high quality fruits.
Over the next four years, the IFC will collaborate with thedepartment to expand shipments of international-standard produce such as dragonfruit and passion fruit, which have the fastest growth in highvalue markets.
Although Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports tripled from 2013to 2018, most products are still exported through informal channels at lesscompetitive prices due to incomplete quality standards.
To address this restriction, the two sides will work together toimprove the legal framework and public services to open new export markets.They will also endeavour to improve the quality of dragon fruit and passionfruit by updating and implementing plant quarantine and traceability regulationsin accordance with international practices and the requirements of importingcountries.
When tariffs are no longer a trade barrier thanks to free tradeagreements, the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements isextremely important for Vietnamese agricultural products to penetrate overseasmarkets, according to Director of the Plant Protection Department Hoang Trung.
Based on cooperation with the Australian Department of ForeignAffairs and Trade, the Japanese Government and the Korea Green Growth TrustFund - part of the World Bank Group, the IFC will support Vietnam to implementan online system of requirements, involving exports of dragon fruit and passionfruit by 2022, he added.
Vietnam exported 836 million USD worth of fruit and vegetables inthe first quarter of 2020, a year-on-year decline of 10.9 percent, according tothe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
China continued to take the lead with over 300 million USD, down29.4 percent compared to the same period last year. The sharp decline wasattributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, other markets recorded slight year-on-year growth fromJanuary-March, such as Indonesia with 2.1 million USD compared to only 164,800USD in the same period in 2019, Thailand 35.2 million USD against 7.6 millionUSD one year ago, Laos 9.6 million USD compared to 2.6 million USD last year,Russia 8.2 million USD against 2.4 million USD in the same period last year,and Cambodia 885,300 USD from 340,000 USD from one year ago./.
