An official of the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) told VietNamNet that the agency is finalizing documents for the signing of a protocol with China on the export of frozen durian through official channels. Once the protocol is signed, Vietnam’s durian exports will increase significantly in the time to come.

According to Nguyen Thi Ha, head of the Plant Protection Sub-Department Zone VII, the products exported to China via road border gates in Lang Son province are mostly dragon fruit, jackfruit, mango and durian. The exports have increased by 30 percent so far this year in comparison with the same period last year.

The General Department of Customs (GDC) reported that the export turnover of veggies and fruits to China continued to increase in January to $306 million, up 20 percent over December 2023 and 103 percent over January 2023.

Veggies and fruit export value to the market accounted for 62 percent of Vietnam’s total export turnover of these products.

China spent $24.4 billion to import vegetables and fruits from many countries and territories. Thailand had the highest figure, with import turnover of $8.6 billion, or 36 percent of market share, down 2 percent.

Vietnam was the second largest exporter of veggies and fruits, with export turnover of $3.4 billion. Its market share in China rose from 8 percent in 2022 to 14 percent in 2023.  

With the figure, Vietnam surpassed Chile to become the second largest exporter of veggies and fruits in the Chinese market.

The jump to the second position is due to the sharp rise in durian exports to the Chinese market after the protocol on Vietnam’s export of durian was signed with China. Vietnam’s durian exports to China brought turnover of $2.2 billion in 2024, up 430 percent over 2022.

Meanwhile, jackfruit export turnover increased by 44.6 percent, mango by 44.2 percent, and chili by 34.5 percent.

China is considering opening its market to more fruits from Vietnam, including fresh coconut, frozen fruit, citrus fruits, avocado, pineapple and rose-apples.

MARD Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam, who returned from a business trip to China in January, said Vietnam’s fruits have great advantages in China, especially durian. After a working session with Guangdong province authorities, businesses of the two countries agreed to create a logistics chain to export Vietnamese fruits at wholesale markets in the province.

Tam An