Dragon fruit exports from Vietnam to the US are set to more than double this year to 1,800 tonnes, according to industry figures.
Vietnam's Southern Horticultural Research Institute (SOFRI) said sea-shipments of dragon fruit to the US between January and June this year were up 113.5 per cent over the prior year period, and that sendings are projected to continue to grow.
In the first six months of this year, Vietnam exported 890 tonnes, worth US$2.4m, to the US – mainly Los Angeles, SOFRI's head of fruit marketing Dr Luong Ngoc Trung Lap told Fruitnet.com.
SOFRI has pegged Vietnam's total volume and turnover of dragon fruit sendings to the US for 2011 at 1,800 tonnes and US$4.8m, he said.
Vietnamese dragon fruit volumes to Japan, meanwhile, have fallen in volume terms so far this year, but increased in value, according to SOFRI.
Sendings to Japan between January and June fell 31 per cent to 273 tonnes compared to the prior year period, but generated US$1m – a 45 per cent rise in value over 2010.
The projected total volume of exports to Japan in 2011 is 600 tonnes, Dr Lap said.
Vietnamese dragon fruit exports to South Korea have soared from 4 tonnes last year, when the market first opened to the fruit, to 84 tonnes worth US$160,253 between January and June 2011.
Indonesia, China and Singapore also saw increased volumes of Vietnamese dragon fruit during the first six months of this year, according to SOFRI. Shipments to Indonesia rose 62.6 per cent in volume, and 135.7 per cent in value; volumes to China increased 69.4 per cent in volume and 128.2 per cent in value; and sendings to Singapore were up 8.8 per cent in volume and 43.5 per cent in value.
A full report will be published in Americafruit Magazine's Oct/Nov edition, and Asiafruit Magazine's October edition.
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