Chili is a common item among Vietnamese consumers. This plant grows in a short time, can be intercropped with fruit trees, and does not require much care. Therefore, it is suitable for the farming conditions across the country.
Normally, chili will be grown from September to November every year. After two months, it is available for harvest three to four times in about three months. The highest yield can be up to four kg per plant.
According to preliminary statistics from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Vietnam exported 1,435 tons of chili in May 2024 with a turnover of 3.3 million USD, down 25.8% compared to the previous month. China was Vietnam’s largest chili export market in the month, reaching 1,273 tons, accounting for 88.7%.
Chili exports have earned tens of millions of USD since the beginning of 2024.
In the first five months of 2024, Vietnam exported 6,511 tons of chili and earned more than 16 million USD. This was an increase of 10.1% in volume and 36.5% in turnover over the same period last year. China maintained its position as the largest export market with 5,791 tons, up 8% over the same period last year. Laos held the second position with 461 tons, up 15.8% compared to 2023.
In 2023, chili exports reached a turnover of 20 million USD, corresponding to 10,173 tons, a strong increase of 107% compared to 2022.
In the world, Asia-Pacific dominates the market, with India being the world’s leading producer and exporter of dried chili. This country accounted for more than 6.11% in 2021, followed by Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. India is also the world’s leading producer and consumer of chili, with about 36% of global production and exporting about 30% of total production.
The Mekong Delta is considered the “center” of chili in Vietnam. Here, chilis are grown the most in Dong Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Vinh Long, and Tra Vinh provinces, with a total area of over 7,000 hectares and an output of about 100,000 tons a year. Meanwhile, in the Central Highlands, the planting area reaches about 4,000–5,000 hectares with an output of about 60,000 tons a year.
Since March 2022, Vietnam’s fresh chilies have been approved for export to the Chinese market. Accordingly, shipments of fresh chili must be handled by Vietnamese functional units or authorized by Vietnamese functional units, and the relevant parameters must be noted in the phytosanitary certificate.
One of the reasons that China has increased imports of Vietnamese chili is its high spiciness and variety. In addition, the crop difference also helps export volume increase. In China, the harvest mainly takes place from June to October every year. However, in Vietnam, there are usually two crops a year, so the time for harvesting is from April to early July and from January to February. /.