|
Vietnam fruit exporters to enjoy a takeoff
With quality improvement, Vietnam’s exports of dragon fruit have increased dramatically, especially to the US market. Meanwhile, rambutan is prepared to re-enter the US after the lifting of the ban on the Vietnamese fruit, expected to take place this month.
Experts forecast that dragon fruit exports to the US, Japan and South Korea will amount to 2,600 tons this year, doubling that in 2010.
An Phu Irradiation Joint Stock Company (API) said it has fulfilled many orders for dragon fruit placed by US companies.
“Since the beginning of this year we have received many orders from the US and have delivered 11 shipments, including eight by air. This time last year, there was no order made,” said Vuong Dinh Khoat, API Director.
Improved quality of the exported fruit is the most important factor that has helped boost the sales of the dragon fruit to the US, he said.
In addition, American consumers have developed an acquired taste for the tropical fruit, he added.
“Now that the quality of dragon fruit has been controlled in all stages, from growing, processing to exporting, the extent of fruit damage during the shipment has been minimized,” he said.
Last year, 865 tons of dragon fruit were exported to the US, a more than eight-fold increase from 2009, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Exporters expect more than 1,500 tons of dragon fruit will be shipped to the US this year.
API is expanding its distribution network in the US to boost its sales of the dragon fruit, Mr. Khoat said.
“Instead of delivering the fruit only to Vietnamese- or Chinese-owned supermarkets, we have been working with some American supermarkets to put the fruit into their distribution channels and onto their shelves,” he said.
Along with the US, Japan is also a promising market for Vietnam’s dragon fruit. Last year, Japan imported an all-time high of 420 tons of the fruit from Vietnam.
Nguyen Hong Hung, Deputy Director of Yasaka Fruit Processing Company Ltd. in southern Binh Duong Province, forecast a total of 600 tons of dragon fruit will be exported to Japan this year.
Yasaka is also proceeding with the export of the fruit to South Korea, since Korea already lifted its ban on importing Vietnam’s dragon fruit in late October last year.
In mid-February South Korean experts will inspect Yasaka’s vapor heat treatment system for the dragon fruit one last time before importing the fruit to Korea, Mr. Hung said.
South Korea is a potential market and it can consume up to 500 tons of dragon fruit from Vietnam in the first year alone, said an expert at the Plant Protection Department under MARD.
The boost of fruit exports to fastidious markets like South Korea and the US has had a positive effect on the prices of dragon fruit both inside and outside Vietnam, the expert said.
“The retail price of the dragon fruit in the US and Japan is now very high, which has helped increase the fruit’s export price to other markets. At the same time, the buying prices of the fruit in the domestic market for export also rise correspondingly,” the expert said. “Last year, at one point the buying price of the fruit was pushed to the highest level in 20 years.”
Vietnam’s rambutan ready to face Thai rival
The US may lift its ban on Vietnamese rambutan within this month, as it did Vietnam’s dragon fruit two years ago, according to the Plant Protection Department.
Under the US regulations, fruits to be imported in the US must be treated with irradiation and exporters must obtain the producing-zone and factory-packaging codes granted by the US, said Nguyen Huu Dat, Director of the Post-import Phytosanitary Center.
“Having had the experience of exporting dragon fruit to the US, Vietnamese exporters will have little trouble shipping rambutans to this market,” he said.
API said it has selected appropriate rambutan growing-zones by US standards so that it can apply for the required code. The company is also working with American importers to export the fruit to the country as soon as the ban is lifted.
Irradiation will be administered by API and Son Son Seafood Processing Company Ltd in Ho Chi Minh. API is building an irradiation plant in Vinh Long province that is expected to go into operation in May with a capacity of 150 tons of fruit per day.
The plant will help facilitate the irradiation of fruits grown in Mekong Delta provinces.
Currently, Thai rambutans capture the largest market share in the US, but with advantages in quality and price, Vietnam’s rambutans can take over a third of the Thai fruit’s market share, according to fruit exporters.
vietnamnet, TuoiTrenews
|
