2025 marked the third consecutive year in which Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable sector shattered export records, with turnover reaching 8.6 billion USD.

Workers process mangoes for export at a factory of the An Giang Fruit and Vegetable JSC in Lam Dong province.

Behind this impressive figure is the strong rise of durian exports and a fundamental shift in production mindset, export strategies and international market integration.

Last year’s export breakthrough was closely linked to market opening and deeper trade integration. Vietnam has continuously signed official export protocols with China while expanding its presence in high-quality markets.

In 2025 alone, Vietnam and China signed five export protocols, including those for passion fruit and fresh jackfruit, while fresh pomelo was officially allowed to enter Australia, a market known for its stringent technical standards.

Huynh Tan Dat, Director of the Plant Production and Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said each agricultural product approved for official export not only opens up market opportunities but also encourages farmers and enterprises to raise awareness and apply technical measures to meet requirements on quarantine, food safety and traceability.

These are key factors for the sustainable development of the fruit and vegetable industry.

From an industry association perspective, Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said the second half of 2025 saw a clear surge in exports in both volume and value. The recovery of durian played a leading role, driving growth in many other fruits.

China remains a strategic market, with annual fruit imports worth around 78 billion USD, while imports from Vietnam account for less than 5 billion USD.

This indicates significant room for growth if Vietnam adopts a well-structured and long-term cooperation strategy, he recommended.

Alongside fresh exports, investment in deep processing is emerging as a new growth driver. The approval of frozen durian exports has not only added value but also reduced dependence on seasonal harvests.

Recently, the Gia Lai provincial People’s Committee approved adjustments to the investment policy for the high-tech fruit processing complex of the Nafoods Tay Nguyen JSC, with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes of raw materials per year.

As large-scale processing projects are rolled out, the competitiveness of Vietnamese fruit is expected to continue improving.

Following durian, many businesses and experts believe bananas could be the next standout product. Vietnam has successfully cross-bred banana varieties resistant to Panama disease, laying a foundation for sustainable development.

According to Chairman of the U&I Agricultural Corporation (Unifarm) Pham Quoc Liem, the global banana market is forecast to reach 21 billion USD by 2030 while Vietnam’s banana exports currently stand at only about 380 million USD.

The current average export value of Vietnamese bananas is still below 2,500 USD per hectare per year. If this figure can be raised to around 25,000 USD per hectare per year, as seen in the models of Unifarm and other enterprises, the country’s banana exports could reach a turnover of 3.8 billion USD in the future, Liem said.

Building on the momentum of 2025, if market discipline is maintained, key produce such as durian, banana, pomelo and coconut are developed under closed value chains, and existing export protocols are effectively utilised, fruit and vegetable export turnover is expected to soon reach 10 billion USD in 2026.

China to allow import of Vietnamese fresh jackfruits from June 1, 2026

To ensure smooth customs clearance, all orchards and packing facilities participating in exports must be registered and approved by competent authorities of both countries. The list of approved entities granted export codes will be published and regularly updated on the GACC website.

 

Agro-forestry-fishery exports poised to hit record high in 2025

Agro-forestry-aquatic exports totalled 64.01 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2025. If performance in the final month matches that of recent months, the figure could approach 70 billion USD, far exceeding the 65-billion-USD target set for the year.

 

Vietnam OCOP Festival 2025 opens in Hanoi

The festival functions as a space to bring together regional OCOP excellence, a forum connecting OCOP stakeholders with distributors, investors, experts and consumers, and a platform to spread pride in indigenous culture, local knowledge, and the aspiration for legitimate prosperity.

 

C.P. Vietnam exports first processed chicken batch to Singapore

The CPV Food Binh Phuoc plant operates a closed-loop system and holds international certifications, including HACCP, BRC, ISO 22000, and Halal. Before reaching Singapore, the company’s processed chicken was already exported to Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Laos, with Japan alone importing 10,000 tonnes by November 2025.

 

Vietnam targets 1 billion USD in banana exports

Bananas have been identified as a priority product under the Project for the Development of Key Fruit Crops to 2025, with a vision to 2030, approved in October 2022. Under the plan, banana acreage is projected to reach 165,000–175,000ha by 2030, with output of 2.6–3 million tonnes.

 

Over 300 enterprises gather at Vietnam–China trade and tourism fair in Quang Ninh

More than 300 enterprises from Vietnam, China, ASEAN countries, Vietnamese industry associations, and domestic and foreign trade, tourism and investment promotion organisations are participating in the 17th Vietnam–China International Trade and Tourism Fair 2025, which opened in Quang Ninh province on December 11.