Among Vietnam’s “billion-dollar” export items, fruit and vegetable exports continued to report impressive growth in the January-October period, the Voice of Vietnam cited Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development figures as revealing.

Fruit and vegetable exports reached $4.9 billion in the period, an increase of over 78 per cent year-on-year - the highest increase ever posted.

Of note, durian contributed the most to export turnover. Exports were estimated at $1.6 billion, more than 14-fold higher than in the same period last year, followed by jackfruit, mango, longan, pomelo, and watermelon.

In addition to growth recorded in key markets, such as China, South Korea, and Japan, fruit exports to Europe also saw strong growth compared to the same period last year, with fruit in high demand including passionfruit, dragon fruit, coconut, pineapple, and custard apple.

“To increase the value of the fruit and vegetable sector, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for investors to take part in deep processing, because this not only reduces post-harvest losses but also raises the value multiple times compared to exporting fresh fruit and vegetables, as is currently the case,” said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien.