According to the General Department of Customs, South Korea is the second largest market, after China, in importing Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, accounting for about 5% of the total fruit and vegetable export market share.
The three main agricultural products that contributed greatly to the export turnover to Korea were bananas, mangoes and sesame seeds. Of which, banana exports reached 35.4 million USD, an increase of nearly three times compared to the same period last year. Mango exports reached 24 million USD, an increase of 72%, and sesame seeds reached nearly 30 million USD, an increase of 62%.
In addition, other items such as dragon fruit, watermelon, shiitake mushrooms, durian and pineapple also recorded strong growth from 40% to 217% over the same period. In particular, the export of almonds, a Vietnamese nut, reached nearly 2 million USD, an increase of 244 times.
Explaining this increase, a representative of the Korean Business Association in Vietnam said that Korean consumers' purchasing power has recovered after the pandemic and Vietnamese fruit prices are also cheaper.
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| Banana exports to South Korea reached 35.4 million USD, nearly three times higher than the same period last year. Photo: Investment Newspaper |
Mr. Hong Sun - Chairman of the Korean Business Association in Vietnam (KOCHAM) said: For Korea, the cost of domestic agricultural production is getting higher and higher. Therefore, the proportion of imported fruits from abroad is increasing. Mango, durian and many other tropical products are familiar to Koreans and they are eating more and more. In the past, they wouldn't eat them even if they were given them, but now they voluntarily buy them to eat. Therefore, we should create national brands such as New Zealand kiwi, so people can eat them with peace of mind because they are brands recognized by the Government.
Representatives of banana exporting enterprises in Gia Lai said that their products are increasingly winning the hearts of Korean consumers and are widely available in large supermarket chains such as Lotte Mart. Bananas grown in the highlands of Lo Pang commune, Mang Yang district, Gia Lai province, are known for their thick skin and rich sweetness.
Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that the import of fruits and vegetables from Korea is constantly growing. It is expected that in the first 7 months of the year, the import turnover of fruits and vegetables from Vietnam to Korea will reach 190 million USD and is likely to continue to increase strongly during the year-end holidays.
For bananas alone, the Korean market size is over 300 million USD per year. Therefore, this fruit still has a lot of potential to grow and expand its market share in this country.
In addition to bananas, items such as watermelon, pineapple, strawberry, grape, mango and jackfruit are also of interest to consumers in this country. To compete with fruits from Thailand and the Philippines, Vietnamese goods need to meet food safety and hygiene standards and be packaged in accordance with the requirements of this market. Recently, many Korean supermarket chains such as Lotte and Emart have also worked directly with Vietnamese farmers, cooperatives and businesses to ensure quality, right from the planting and processing stages.
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