Vietnamese fruits poised to respond to China’s diversified demands

Yet to optimize the potential and benefits

Last weekend, the debut of the Vietnam Fruit Festival in Beijing, China, hosted the ""Forum on Trade Exchange and Supply Chain Connection for Vietnamese Fruit Exports to China". The chief of Vinafruit, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, disclosed that Vietnam and China are neighboring countries that share thousands of kilometers of borderlines during the event. Vietnamese and Chinese individuals exhibit similarities in their culture and lifestyles.

Vietnam and China have a history of trade exchange that spans thousands of years. Vietnam has favorable natural conditions for the production of tropical fruit specialty products, while China is a vast market with a diverse range of demands. Vietnamese fruits, such as durian, dragon fruit, banana, mango, jackfruit, lychee, longan, rambutan, mangosteen, and star apple, are more commonly recognized by Chinese consumers.

In recent years, Vietnam has experienced a surge in the production of fruit and vegetables, both in terms of volume and quality, to meet the demands of the most discerning consumers, both domestically and internationally.

The trade turnover between 2023 and 2024 has increased significantly, indicating the emergence of a two-way trade between Vietnam and China. Vietnam and China have signed protocols to facilitate the official importation of 12 Vietnamese fruits into the latter market.

Vietnamese producers, processors, and enterprises have made every effort to fulfill the requirements of agreements, including the production unit code, packaging facility code, and importation enterprise register, following Orders 248, and 249 of the General Administration of Customs of China, to achieve the current growth.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Vietnam's total fruit and vegetable export turnover, the Chinese market has remained the top-tier for several years. In 2023, China accounted for the majority of 67%, and in the first eight months of 2024, it accounted for 65.23%.

The fruit trade exchange between Vietnam and China has led to substantial results in recent years; however, these achievements are still modest in comparison to the vast untapped potential of both countries.

Considering the simplification or easing of procedures

Fruit and vegetable production and processing have been evolving in order to accommodate the diverse and expanding preferences and needs of consumers in Vietnam, China, and other countries.

Particularly, the utilization of inputs has been more effectively managed during the cultivation phase. Production processes and criteria, high-tech adoption, circular agriculture, emission reduction, renewal energy use, and good agricultural production practices, such as Viet GAP and Global GAP, have been extensively and widely implemented.

"We can guarantee that Vietnamese fruit and vegetable products are of the highest quality and are safe for consumption." The chair of VinaFruit emphasized the company's slogan, "Vietnamese Fruit – Fragant to thousands of miles."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh further elaborated that Vietnam is confident in its ability to meet the vast and diverse demands of the Chinese market, both in the present and the future, due to the high growth rate and immense potential of agricultural production.

The Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association recommends that the relevant regulatory agencies of China and Vietnam continue to review and examine the expansion and/or issuance of additional planting area codes and packaging facility codes for the 12 types of fruits that are currently being officially imported into the Chinese market in order to promote faster and stronger trade growth of fruits and vegetables between the two countries.

He also suggests that it is beneficial to evaluate and appraise additional potential Vietnamese products, including persimmons, custard apples, and pomelos, in order to continue the process of signing agreements that would facilitate the official importation of these products into the Chinese market.

The recommendation involves the consideration of the simplification or reduction of procedures and sampling rates to expedite the customs clearance process, thereby enabling goods to reach consumers more rapidly.

To enhance the capacity for circulation, reception, and preservation of fruits and vegetables, it is necessary to optimize the utilization of infrastructure resources, including storage facilities, warehouses, and specialized conveyance. This will reduce the spoilage rate within the supply chain.

Chinese import associations and key enterprises should intensify exchanges to share and learn from associations' management and operational experience. This will empower businesses to enhance their self-capacity and support each other in mutual development, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the fruit and vegetable industries in both countries.

Furthermore, it is recommended that networking events be organized to facilitate the exchange of information, exploration, and potential investment, as well as joint ventures, partnerships, and two-way trade exchanges between businesses from both parties.