Vietnam fruits, vegetables struggle to enter overseas market
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Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exporters are struggling with many countries increasing quality standards for them. Dragon fruit, which accounts for 40 percent of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in value, is facing the biggest challenge as China, which used to buy 80-90 percent of Vietnam’s dragon fruit mainly through border gates, has tightened the import through the channel.
The importer has also improved standards on quarantine and food safety and origin tracking to Vietnamese fruits, including dragon fruits.
Facing the difficulties, many traders have recently stopped buying the fruit in some major growing regions.
As a result, prices of the fruit have plummeted. Recently farmers in Binh Thuan Province said that prices are down 90 percent to VND1,500-2,000 ($0.06-0.08) per kilogram.
Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports might see more pain since China may reduce purchases after expanding its own cultivation, warned by industry insiders.
Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department said China has planted dragon fruit on 20,000 hectares in places such as Guangxi and Hainan.
The department said this area would increase to 30,000 hectares next year.
Chili, which accounts for a third of Vietnam’s total vegetable export value, is struggling in the Malaysian market.
Malaysia is among the three largest buyers of chili from Vietnam along with South Korea and China.
But it announced to cease licensing the import of chili from Vietnam from September 14 after detecting excessive residues of plant protection products in chili shipments.
Together with dragon fruits and chilli, papaya has struggled to enter overseas market.
The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has informed Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department that it discovered genetically modified papaya in shipments from Vietnam.
South Korea does not allow entry of genetically modified organism (GMO) products.
A spokesperson for a large papaya exporter in southern Long An Province said that farmers knew about this policy, and some GMO fruits went into the consignments despite their efforts to prevent it.
It is working with farmers to grow non-GMO fruits, the spokesperson added.
Nguyen Quoc Vong, a researcher in the GMO fruit industry, said the trend in developed countries is to consume non-GMO products.
He warned that Vietnam would be shut out of high-end markets if it exports GMO products since food safety standards around the world are rising.
“Our competitors like Thailand do not grow GMO produce, so they will have an advantage in high-end markets where we cannot compete,” he said.
Vietnam earned $3 billion from fruit and vegetable exports in the first nine months of this year, up 15.2 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific countries have increased quality standards for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables?
Which specific countries have increased quality standards for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables?
China has tightened import standards for dragon fruit, especially concerning quarantine, food safety, and origin tracking. Malaysia has ceased licensing chili imports, and South Korea has detected genetically modified papaya in shipments.
Q.Why has the price of dragon fruit plummeted for farmers in Vietnam?
Why has the price of dragon fruit plummeted for farmers in Vietnam?
Prices have dropped because many traders stopped buying the fruit after China tightened import regulations and improved its quality standards. Industry insiders also warn China may reduce purchases due to its own expanded cultivation.
Q.What is the primary reason Malaysia stopped importing chili from Vietnam?
What is the primary reason Malaysia stopped importing chili from Vietnam?
Malaysia announced it would cease licensing chili imports from Vietnam after detecting excessive residues of plant protection products. This ban came into effect from September 14.
Q.How is Vietnam addressing the issue of genetically modified papaya exports to South Korea?
How is Vietnam addressing the issue of genetically modified papaya exports to South Korea?
A papaya exporter stated they are working with farmers to grow non-GMO fruits, despite some GMO fruits previously entering consignments. South Korea does not permit entry for genetically modified organism products.
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