Vegetable and fruit export, import turnover rockets up

Vegetable and fruit export turnover posted a year on year increase of 47 percent to top $2.3 billion while import doubled the same period last year to hit $1.06 billion during the first eight months this year, reported the General Statistics Office of Vietnam.

Vegetable production under VietGAP quality standards for export to Europe at Phuoc An cooperative, Binh Chanh district, HCMC (Photo: SGGP)

The commodities were most imported from Thailand. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, import turnover from Thailand was $516.8 million in the first eight months of 2017, accounting for 50 percent of the country’s total.

Ministries and authorized agencies said that the high import growth was normal.

In export, China, Japan, the US and South Korea are the four largest markets of Vietnam making up 85 percent of total export value.

Vietnam has gained fast vegetable and fruit export growth for the last 3-4 years. Total export turnover neared $900 million in 2012 and topped $2 billion in 2016. It is expected to approximate $3 billion this year.