In terms of fruit and vegetable exports to China, Thailand remains in the No. 1 position. However, Vietnam is gradually closing the gap with Thailand, with annual export values to China reaching 4-5 billion USD.
According to China’s Customs Department, in the first 9 months of this year, the country spent nearly 20.3 billion USD importing fruits and vegetables from 5 markets, an increase of 6.2% compared to the same period last year.
Thailand remains the largest exporter of fruits and vegetables to China, with 6.7 billion USD, an increase of over 10% and accounting for 33% of total imports. However, Vietnam is rapidly closing the gap with Thailand, with 4.06 billion USD, an increase of nearly 19% compared to the same period last year.
Vietnam’s market share of fruits and vegetables in the billion-dollar market also increased from 17.9% to 20%, exceeding one-fifth of China’s total import value for this commodity.
Durian continues to be Vietnam’s key export item to China.
Countries like Australia and New Zealand also saw export growth of 38.5% and 5.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, China reduced its fruit and vegetable purchases from Chile by about 7.8% compared to the same period last year.
Durian and bananas are two of Vietnam’s main exports to this market. By the end of September, Vietnam had exported nearly 620,000 tons of durian to China, with a value of 2.3 billion USD. Vietnamese durian is directly competing with Thailand as well as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
If Vietnamese bananas were leading in China in 2024, the Philippines has regained this position in recent months. However, in terms of volume, Vietnam surpasses the Philippines with 568,000 tons. The reason is that the price of Vietnamese bananas is up to 80 USD/ton lower than that of the Philippines.
Based on this data, the Ministry of Industry and Trade assesses that Vietnam is an important market for supplying fruits and vegetables to China. Thanks to its geographical advantages and quick delivery times, Vietnamese fruits and vegetables are highly competitive in terms of freshness and quality.
Besides, more frozen and processed products from Vietnam are being licensed for export to China, which is expected to further boost trade in the final months of the year. The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association estimates that this market alone could bring in 5.5 billion USD this year, far exceeding the 4.63 billion USD in 2024.
However, to expand market share, Vietnamese businesses need to strictly follow Chinese standards regarding quality, quarantine, traceability, and packaging.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has established a separate control process for durian. This is considered an important step for the future expansion of exports of other agricultural products to China.
Experts warn that Vietnam should not rely too heavily on durian, a commodity that accounts for over half of the total value of fruit and vegetable exports. To maintain growth and improve its position, the Vietnamese agricultural sector needs to diversify export products, invest in cold chains, and improve quarantine standards and storage quality to international standards.