Dragon fruit exports reached US$93.8 million, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the total fruit and vegetable export value, during the January–February period. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — In a surprising shift in Việt Nam’s fruit export market, dragon fruit has surged ahead to become the country’s leading fruit export, surpassing durian.

According to the Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association, dragon fruit exports reached US$93.8 million, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the total fruit and vegetable export value during the January–February period.

In February alone, exports of dragon fruit brought in $35 million, representing 13.6 per cent of the sector's monthly export turnover.

The sharp rise in the volumes of dragon fruit comes amid a significant decline in durian exports, which have fallen to third place. In February, durian export turnover was just $21.4 million, with the two-month total also standing at $21.4 million — a 69 per cent drop year-on-year, accounting for only 7.6 per cent of total fruit and vegetable exports.

The dramatic downturn is largely attributed to new import regulations from China, Việt Nam’s top durian buyer, which consumes 95 per cent of Việt Nam’s durian exports.

Since early this year, China has required that all imported durian shipments be accompanied by cadmium residue and yellow O chemical test results, conducted at Chinese-recognised laboratories. These stricter requirements have delayed customs clearance and made exports more complicated.

In addition, the European Union has increased border inspection frequency for Vietnamese durian from 10 per cent to 20 per cent, due to repeated violations of pesticide residue standards.

Bananas have also gained ground.

In February, banana exports reached $40.8 million, up 32 per cent from January. Over the first two months of the year, banana exports totalled $71.5 million, making up more than 10 per cent of the fruit and vegetable sector’s overall export earnings.

Dragon fruit’s resurgence marks a comeback for a fruit that once topped Việt Nam’s export charts.

According to the General Secretary of the Việt Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Đặng Phúc Nguyên, dragon fruit had previously been Việt Nam’s number one fruit export, earning nearly $1.3 billion in 2018. However, its value declined in subsequent years, falling below the $1 billion mark by 2022 as durian exports took off.

Dragon fruit is popular in China, with Vietnamese varieties accounting for 90 per cent of China’s imported dragon fruit, Nguyên said.

Current domestic dragon fruit prices are at high levels between VNĐ23,000 and VNĐ35,000 ($0.90-1.37) per kilogramme, depending on the type.

Việt Nam is also looking to expand dragon fruit exports to the US, a market that already accounts for nearly 10 per cent of Việt Nam’s dragon fruit exports.

On April 11, Deputy Minister Hoàng Trung of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment led a delegation to meet with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

During the meeting, Việt Nam proposed that the US recognise a hot steam treatment method for dragon fruit, which would significantly reduce processing costs for Vietnamese exporters.

If approved, this could pave the way for a sharp increase in dragon fruit exports to the US market. — VNS