Chili is one of the items with the highest export turnover in the spice group in the first 9 months of the year. According to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Vietnam’s chili exports in September reached 474 tons with a turnover of 1 million USD. This was a decrease of 39% compared to the last month. Laos was the main export market for Vietnam’s chili in September with 206 tons. Following was China with 154 tons.
In the first 9 months of 2024, Vietnam has exported 9,274 tons of chili, with a total export value of 22.2 million USD. This was an increase of 5.3% in volume and a significant increase of 31.8% in value compared to the same period last year. The top export markets include China and Laos.
Chili is common to Vietnamese consumers. The price is ranging from 22,000 to 28,000 VND/kg. In the world, the total area of chili is about 19.89 million hectares. The main countries that grow chili are India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Romania, China, Nigeria, and Mexico.
In Vietnam, Dong Thap, especially Thanh Binh district, is considered the “largest chili center in the Southwest.” The yield of fresh chili is over 22,500 tons per year. According to statistics, the chili area in Dong Thap province currently covers nearly 2,000 hectares, with an average yield of over 10 tons per hectare.
Vietnam is one of the largest chili -producing countries in the world.
Besides, another “chili center” of Vietnam is Lang Son. In the 2023 chili crop, the chili area in the province reached over 1,479 hectares. This was an increase of 91 hectares compared to 2022. The traditional chili varieties have been replaced by high-yield ones with better yield.
China has been the largest export market for chili in recent years. According to some experts, Vietnamese chilies are very spicy with various types, making them popular in this market.
Previously, since March 2022, fresh chili from Vietnam has been exported to China. All shipments of fresh chili must undergo quarantine treatment and clearly annotate the relevant parameters in the phytosanitary certificate.
In 2023, chili exports reached a value of 20 million USD, corresponding to over 10,000 tons. This was a significant increase of 107% compared to 2022. Vietnam is one of the largest chili-producing countries in the world.
In June 2024, the European Commission published Regulation No. 2024/1662 in the Official Journal, signed on June 11, 2024, regarding the review of enhanced supplementary inspection measures and emergency measures for managing the import of agricultural and food products from third countries into the EU in accordance with Regulation 2019/1973.
Specifically, agricultural products such as chili, dragon fruit, and okra from Vietnam continue to face increased inspection frequency and strict food safety requirements from the EU. For chili products, the EU applies a 50% inspection frequency. At the same time, each shipment must include a Food Safety Certificate and test results of pesticide residue in the product. This is a major challenge for Vietnamese exporters.
Therefore, to continue the stable export of agricultural products, including chili, to the EU market, the Ministry of Industry and Trade recommends that agricultural and food producers enhance their product quality management to meet the requirements of this market.