Fruit and vegetable exports slow down in the first month of 2025

The sharp decline in durian exports is the reason why fruit and vegetable exports slowed down in the first month of 2025.

Fruit and vegetable exports decrease by double digits

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), in January, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports reached 416 million USD, down 11.3% compared to the previous month (December 2024 reached 529 million USD) and down 5.2% compared to the same period in 2024 (January 2024 reached 490 million USD).

Durian exports account for 46.9% of durian imports into China.

On the other hand, the import turnover of fruits and vegetables in January reached 285 million USD, down 6.6% compared to the previous month (December 2024 reached 304 million USD) and up 31% compared to the same period last year (January 2024 reached 216 million USD). The reason is that businesses increased imports to prepare for the Lunar New Year market.

The reason for the 11.3% drop in fruit and vegetable exports compared to the previous month is that many countries have tightened inspections on the quality of fruits imported from Vietnam. Notably, the Chinese market has tightened inspections of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2) and Cadmium on durian for durian exported from Vietnam, leading to a situation where this billion-dollar fruit is congested in warehouses and border gates, and many shipments have to be sold at rescue prices in the domestic market. Many export enterprises said they have temporarily stopped selling durian to China in the first month of the year.

Vietnamese authorities have also quickly worked with Chinese authorities to resume durian exports. Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced a list of 9 testing laboratories recognized by Vietnam and China as qualified to issue certification. This is the basis for Vietnamese durian to continue penetrating this "billion-people" market.

Mr. Bui Manh Toan - Director of Vietnox Agri Company Limited (Dak Lak), a durian exporter to the Chinese market, said that Vietnam has many testing centers for Cadmium and O-yellow substances accepted by the General Department of Customs of China, so basically, the consumption market is still guaranteed to be smooth.

Durian prices have also started to increase again in many warehouses. However, this price is still about 60-70% lower than the same period last year. Currently, the price of Thai Monthong durian type A (2.7 boxes, weight 2-5 kg) is sold at 100,000 VND/kg, while type B (2.5 boxes) is only 80,000 VND/kg. For Ri 6 durian, type A has dropped to about 62,000 VND/kg and type B is only 47,000 VND/kg.

According to the owner of a purchasing facility in the West, durian exports have not fully recovered due to China's new inspection regulations. The country has increased inspections for yellow O, a compound that is potentially carcinogenic, leading to delays in customs clearance for many shipments. In addition, some purchasing contacts who previously paid high deposits have now waived their deposits due to the sharp drop in export prices.

However, if export activities return to a stable level as last year, consumption is expected to increase sharply again in February. Currently, businesses are completing procedures for testing O gold quality at centers recognized by China.

The market is still difficult

Speaking to reporters from the Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen - General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - said that all batches of durian exported to China must have a certificate of testing for the basic substances yellow O and cadmium. Enterprises only need to have enough certificates according to regulations to be able to export. However, at that time, many places still did not have yellow O testing rooms, so exporting durian was still difficult.

In addition to China, other markets have also raised standards for imported fruits. Accordingly, the US has banned 7 active ingredients of plant protection drugs and requires growing area codes and packaging codes issued by the US Department of Agriculture. European countries have also increased the rate of plant protection drug inspection on many types of fruit from 10% to 20%.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen commented that if the inspection barriers are not removed soon, the export target of 8 billion USD this year will be difficult to achieve. To maintain growth and achieve the export target in 2025, producers and businesses need to comply with new inspection regulations and tighten purchasing links to improve product quality. In addition, processed goods need to be invested in design and conform to the standards of importing countries.

According to Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, in February, the export turnover of fruits and vegetables will continue to decrease due to low demand after Tet, causing slower consumption of fruits and vegetables and lower prices. The export turnover of fruits and vegetables in February is expected to reach about 300-350 million USD. "After Tet , Chinese people often eat less durian, so it is predicted that prices will decrease a lot," Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen shared.

Meanwhile, to ensure sustainable growth, the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) recommends that farmers, cooperatives and businesses need to strengthen links, improve product quality and affirm Vietnamese brands in the global market.

Although off-season durian prices are falling sharply, this is still considered an important period for the agricultural sector to review and improve product quality and adapt to new requirements from export markets.

To overcome the current difficulties, close coordination between farmers, businesses and authorities is a key factor. By improving production processes, ensuring inspection standards and promoting brand building, the Vietnamese durian industry can continue to affirm its position in the international market, opening up opportunities for recovery and sustainable growth in the future.

Vietnam's off-season durian season will last until the end of March. From mid-April, the western provinces will begin the main durian harvest season. In 2024, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports will reach a record 7.15 billion USD, up 27.6% over the previous year. Among the export items, durian dominates, bringing in about 3.4 billion USD, equivalent to 45% of the total fruit and vegetable export turnover, up 7.8 times compared to 2022.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/xuat-khau-rau-qua-giam-toc-trong-thang-dau-nam-2025-372137.html