Fruit and vegetable exports top 1 billion for first time in July
According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association fruit and vegetable exports reached approximately 1 06 billion in July up 38 per cent on year This marked the first time monthly fruit and vegetable export turnover surpassed the 1 billion threshold
In July 2026, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports reached a historic milestone, surpassing the $1 billion mark for the first time. This achievement was reported by the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), which detailed a 23 per cent increase in exports compared to the same period in 2025. The surge in sales was predominantly driven by the recovery in durian exports, which make up more than half of the industry's total export value.
China remained the primary destination for Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports, accounting for about 55 per cent of the sector's total export value. The United States and South Korea also demonstrated positive growth in their purchases. Other notable products contributing to the sector's growth included coconuts, mangoes, bananas, passion fruit, and processed fruits and vegetables.
Vinafruit's data revealed that fruit and vegetable exports to the European Union (EU) reached $214.4 million in the first six months of 2026, marking a 32 per cent increase compared to the previous year. June alone saw a 38 per cent increase in export turnover to the EU market. Notably, processed products accounted for an exceptionally large share of exports to the EU, with the sector comprising nearly two-thirds of total exports to the market.
Among the EU countries, the Netherlands emerged as Vietnam's largest fruit and vegetable import market, with exports totaling $117 million in July alone, a 46.8 per cent increase year-on-year. Germany and France followed closely with export turnovers of $58.4 million and $21.8 million, respectively, both up by 47 per cent. Vinafruit highlighted the importance of deep processing in overcoming the challenges posed by geographical distance, such as high air freight costs and stringent preservation requirements for fresh produce.
Processed passion fruit saw significant growth, with exports reaching $123.2 million, a 37.5 per cent increase. Potato and dragon fruit exports also showed notable gains, with exports surging by 100.7 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively. In Germany, processed fruit and vegetable imports from Vietnam reached $32.6 million in the first five months of 2026, a remarkable 126 per cent increase.
Vinafruit Secretary General Dang Phuc Nguyen emphasized that deep processing is crucial in addressing post-harvest losses, which remain high at 30-40 per cent in Vietnam compared to around 10-15 per cent in Thailand. The surge in exports aligns with the growing demand for Vietnamese produce, especially ahead of the Lunar New Year, as well as efforts to address trade barriers with countries like Chile.
Despite these positive trends, Vietnam aims to achieve an export value of $8 billion for its fruit and vegetable sector in 2025.
Written by urgent.news from Vietnam Investment Review's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
