Red dragon fruit on shelves in Australia

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

Sydney (VNA) - A total of five tonnes of red dragon fruit from Vietnam are being sold at supermarkets and grocery stores in the Australian states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia as part of a week-long promotional event held by the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia and the Melbourne-based company Da Lat Import & Export from April 2 to 8.

The fruit has been well-received by local consumers, particularly Vietnamese expats, and actually sold out in Western Australia.

Head of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Australia Nguyen Phu Hoa said that despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the promotion and distribution of the red dragon fruit, the event was nonetheless successful thanks to the assistance provided by Vietnamese business associations in Australia and the local Vietnamese community.

In light of travel restrictions triggered by the outbreak, Hoa said, the Trade Office plans to make use of digital tools to support Vietnamese exporters in Australia and help them promote their products.

He revealed that the office has been working to develop a forum for agricultural exporters from Vietnam in Australia to together formulate common action plans and be better prepared for potential risks in the global market.

Exports of Vietnamese dragon fruit to Australia were first permitted in July 2017, after nine years of negotiations. The Australian side has, notably, only opened its doors to fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam.In September 2018, the first batch of red dragon fruit grown in the northern province of Vinh Phuc was sent to Australia, paving the way for Vietnam to bolster its exports to one of the world’s most demanding markets./.