Vietnam’s fruit production grows yet imports still necessary

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country’s total fruit and vegetable exports hit a record high of US$3.1 billion this year, a year-on-year rise of 43% with the key markets being China, Japan, the US, and the Republic of Korea.

The value of fruit exports has seen a rise of more than 120% per year yet the amount imported remains unfavourably high. This year, Vietnam has spent more than US$1 billion importing foreign fruit and vegetables.

Nguyen Hong Son, head of the Plantation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Vietnam still has to import some kinds of fruits from Thailand, China, the US, and Australia.

While export growth is higher than import growth, fruit imports are increasing rapidly, so the sector should make efforts to reduce imports and stimulate exports in the future, said Mr Son.