Increase follows improved access to China and opportunities in Thailand and the US 

According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the value of Vietnam’s export turnover for fruits and vegetables (fresh and frozen) in the first eleven months of 2024 was US$6.6bn. Local publication Saigon Giai Phong News (SGGP), expects this figure to reach US$7.2bn by the end of the year.  

coconut vietnam free use

Vietnam recently gained access to China for fresh coconut 

SGGP reported that the export surplus of fruits and vegetables reached approximately US$4.5bn with durian representing 40-45 per cent of the total.  

This follows the recent agreement between Vietnam and China for the export of frozen durian and fresh coconut to China, which has created significant opportunities. According to SGGP, certain enterprises have agreements in place to deliver as many as 1,500 containers of coconut. 

Vietnam is also poised to overtake Thailand as the leading exporter of durian to China within the next one to two years. This year saw Vietnam surpass Thailand’s durian exports during its off-season for the first time ever.  

Unfavourable weather in Thailand has reduced the country’s entire agricultural output this year and it has increased purchases of fresh produce from the Vietnamese market for domestic consumption or re-export to China. 

Vietnamese agricultural products have also been popular in the US, with coconut, passion fruit and other fruits gaining popularity, indicating potential for further growth in the future.