Shallot exports in the first two months of 2023 only reached 240 tons, not significant compared to the output of 200,000 tons. Meanwhile, in March, shallot and spice farms in the southern provinces entered the harvest season, causing intense consumption pressure.
On March 17, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Soc Trang province organized an online forum “Connecting trade and promoting consumption of shallot”.
Chairing the forum, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said that shallot is the advantageous product of many provinces such as Hai Duong, Soc Trang, Ninh Thuan, and Quang Ngai with a total annual output of over 200,000 tons. By March, the farms in the South of Vietnam entered the harvest season, so the consumption demand for this item is higher than ever.
Soc Trang’s shallot has been branded in many markets.
SHALLOT EXPORTS IN 2022 INCREASED BY 3.6 TIMES THAN IN 2021
“However, according to statistics, in the first months of 2023, the purchasing power of the market tends to decrease, leading to the consumption of shallot is forecast to face many difficulties,” the Deputy Minister said.
Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said that according to data from Customs, the export of shallot in the first 2 months of 2023 reached 240 tons. This is a very small figure compared to the shallot output of 200,000 tons/year. Therefore, the active participation of Vietnamese Counsellors abroad will help expand the market for shallot products.
The representative of the Department of Crop Production said that the total production area of shallot in the country is about 14-15,000 ha, concentrated in Soc Trang, Hai Duong, Ninh Thuan, and Quang Ngai. In particular, the growing area of shallot in Hai Duong reaches 5,700 ha, mainly red-shelled white shallot with an output of 110,000 tons, and 6,500 ha in Soc Trang, mainly shallot with an output of about 90,000 tons.
An image of the Forum on March 17, 2023.
“China is still the largest importer of shallots, garlic, and garlic chive of Vietnam with a turnover of more than 17 million USD in 2022, not to mention the turnover of Taiwan with 6.6 million USD more. The following markets are India, the United States, Laos, Japan, and Myanmar.”
Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development of Agricultural Products.
A representative of the Department of Crop Production shared that there are some difficulties currently in shallot production such as the production being fragmented, difficulty to trace the origin, lack of linkage, fluctuating prices, limited certified production area, difficulty to control quality and food safety, lack of preservation process. These lead to the situation of mass harvest and sales, causing the prices to decrease, lack of consumption links, and pests.
Regarding shallot consumption, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of the Department of Quality, Processing, and Market Development, said that: In 2022, the export turnover of shallot, garlic, and garlic chive of Vietnam reached about 31.2 million USD, up nearly 360% compared to 2021. Most went to Asian markets, accounting for more than 90%, followed by the Americas, Europe, and Australia./.