Vietnam is boosting fruit and vegetable export to the US and Europe after facing difficulties with the Chinese market.
Nguyen Lam Vien, general director of Vinamit, said that China had tightened its control over the check of the point of origin of imported produce, packaging and quality. China’s zero-Covid 19 policy had particularly slowed down customs clearance for Vietnamese exports.
Vinamit, which has had business experience in China for 20 years, in response has instead had to seek European partners for export contracts. The firm has seen a growth in European orders.
According to Nguyen Van Thu, general director of GC Food, the company’s fruit and vegetables exports have been on the rise. GC Food has built a VND100-billion (USD4.84 million) factory to freeze farm produce as part of these efforts.
Nguyen Dinh Tung, General Director of Vina T&T JS Company, said that Vietnam has many opportunities in Europe as it is the only country in the Asia Pacific region that has signed a free trade agreement with Europe.
After the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) takes effect, import tariffs of some kinds of Vietnamese vegetables and fruits would be reduced to zero.
Vina T&T has increased the export of fruit and vegetables to the EU this year, particularly grapefruit and dragon fruit. The company has planned to export more products to the EU, Tung added.
Nguyen Thanh Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that China had been the biggest importer of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables for many years.
However, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export value to China dropped by 19 percent on-year to USD260 million in the first two months of this year. In contrast, the export value of fruit and vegetables to the US grew by 70 percent to USD25 million. While Japan imported fruit and vegetables valued at USD23 million, up 12 percent on-year.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said the EU was the biggest importer of fruit and vegetables in the world. However, Vietnamese products accounted for just around 1 percent of the EU's total import value of fruits and vegetables.
The US has licensed the import of Vietnamese grapefruit. The US plans to import more Vietnamese coconuts and star apples in the coming time.
Fruit and vegetable exports to the US, Europe surge
Vietnam is boosting fruit and vegetable export to the US and Europe after facing difficulties with the Chinese market.
Source: dtinews.vn
