Tien Giang green elephant mango exported to the US and Australian markets for the first time

The Tien Giang Provincial People’s Committee, in coordination with Vina T&T Group and Thanh Binh Agricultural Products Import-Export Company, recently held a ceremony to announce this milestone: the province’s first-ever export of green elephant mangoes to the U.S. and Australian markets. Exporting mangoes to the US and Australian markets will open up many new opportunities, helping to access the global market, affirming the position of Tien Giang agrifood products.

Conquering demanding markets

Speaking on behalf of the exporter, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Muoi, Deputy General Director of Vina T&T Group, stated that while Vietnam’s green elephant mangoes had previously been shipped to the US in multiple batches, this is the first time mangoes grown by Tien Giang farmers have met the export criteria for this market.

To prepare for this official export batch, the company sent technical staff to provide long-term support to farmers. They guided growers on fruit bagging techniques, established traceable codes for growing areas and packaging facilities, and facilitated cooperation with agricultural cooperatives. As a result, all material areas in Tien Giang, and the Mekong Delta more broadly, now meet the quality standards required by high-demand markets, including the U.S.

Following the first shipment, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Muoi hopes that mango farmers in Tien Giang and in the region will continue adhering to best practices in mango cultivation, ensuring pesticide-free produce and maintaining compliance with importer requirements.

“I hope our farmers will ensure their products are clean and free from pesticide residues, meeting the strict requirements of importing countries. Technical barriers are very high: if residues are detected, shipments will be rejected, and the packing house and growing area codes will be revoked, limiting mangoes to the domestic market. We have many policies to support farmers in producing goods that meet export standards. The better you comply, the more we will purchase, without rejecting any shipment.”

Ms. Phan Thi Thu Hien, Director of the Post Entry Plant Quarantine Center II (under the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection) added, “The U.S. is a demanding market with strict regulations on plant quarantine and food safety. Regarding mangoes, the Plant Protection Department submitted an export application to the US Department of Agriculture as early as 2009, but it was not officially accepted until 2019. Currently, food safety management for mangoes is rigorous, requiring oversight from the growing area to the packaging facility.”

Creating a launchpad to expand the reach of Tien Giang agrifood products

Mango trees have long been cultivated in Cai Be, nourished by the rich alluvial deposits of the Tien River. Combined with the skillful care of local farmers, this has resulted in mangoes with a distinctive and unmatched flavor. However, like many other agricultural products, mango growers have frequently faced market instability and dictated by supply-demand dynamics and export uncertainties.

Recognizing these challenges and the need to enhance the value of this fruit, Tien Giang’s provincial leaders have identified mangoes as one of the 7 key fruit products in their agricultural restructuring strategy. Since then, farmers have actively shifted toward safer cultivation practices to protect consumer health, while also forming cooperatives and expanding VietGAP-certified production areas. By registering growing area codes and meeting export standards, they have successfully positioned Tien Giang mangoes for wider global reach.

Mr. Tran Van Xuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of An Huu Cooperative (Cai Be District), said that the cooperative specializes in purchasing fresh fruits from local farmers – such as durian, mango, jackfruit, longan – to supply the domestic market and export. 

Since the end of last year, the export of many fruits has encountered difficulties, causing the prices of agricultural products, including mango, to decrease sharply. Farmers have felt discouraged, so the event of opening a new market for Tien Giang mangoes has motivated mango growers to stick with their land. 

According to Mr. Pham Van Trong, Vice Chairman of Tien Giang Provincial People’s Committee, this locality currently has over 88,000 hectares of fruit trees, with an output of over 1.8 million tons, accounting for nearly 40% of the agricultural production land area. Mango growing area is over 2,000 hectares, with an output of over 50,000 tons.

Mangoes from Tien Giang province not only supply the domestic market but are also exported to China, Korea, Japan, the U.S., New Zealand and the European market. Mango exports will open up many new opportunities, helping Tien Giang enterprises access the global market, affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products.

“The official export of fresh mangoes to the U.S. is the result of a long-term negotiation effort by Vietnam’s professional agencies with the U.S., and the persistent support of mango growers and enterprises in Vietnam in general and Tien Giang enterprises in particular,” said Mr. Pham Van Trong, Vice Chairman of Tien Giang Provincial People’s Committee. 

The announcement ceremony of the export of Tien Giang green elephant mangoes to the U.S. market is an important event that not only marks a new step in the agricultural sector but also contributes to increasing the value of Vietnamese agrifood products in the international market. This is a “launchpad” for other agricultural products to be exported to demanding markets, especially the US market.

Currently, 8 types of Vietnamese fresh fruits are allowed to be imported into the U.S., including dragon fruit, mango, longan, lychee, rambutan, star apple, grapefruit, and coconut.