Vietnam’s fruit industry is urged to redefine its branding and adopt a strategic export roadmap in order to unlock billion-dollar potential amid economic fluctuations.
Repositioning Strategy and Exploring New Markets
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Thanh Nam, key fruits like bananas, pineapples, coconuts, and passion fruit are approaching significant export thresholds. However, these products still face challenges in seed quality, production scale, processing capabilities, and meeting market standards.
The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection reports that in 2024, Vietnam had over 425,000 hectares of cultivation for these four fruits, yielding more than 6.3 million tons. Coconut exports reached approximately USD 1.1 billion, bananas USD 380 million, passion fruit over USD 222 million, and pineapples USD 16.5 million (EU market).
Export Barriers and Strategic Solutions
Export destinations are increasingly tightening requirements around phytosanitary standards, food safety, and traceability. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s production remains fragmented, with limited planting area codes and underdeveloped value chain links.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proposed six key solutions, including:
- Developing centralized material areas with planting codes
- Investing in disease-resistant varieties
- Improving post-harvest processing rates
- Expanding official export channels
- Building national brands for Vietnamese fruits
Businesses Must Enhance Chain Collaboration
According to Dr. Ngô Quốc Tuấn, some fruit-growing regions have had their codes revoked due to violations, directly impacting export activities. Penetrating new markets like South America is hindered by logistics and competition, while ASEAN markets face product similarity.
He emphasized shifting from quantity to quality, technology, and brand value. Transparent traceability and sustainable linkages across the value chain are essential for long-term export success.
Market Opportunities for Pineapples and Passion Fruit
Vietnam has growing competitiveness in pineapple, with global demand reaching USD 29 billion in 2024 and a CAGR of 6.3%. Notably, products like DOVECO’s concentrated pineapple juice are exported to over 50 countries, often surpassing Western competitors.
Passion fruit products such as puree, powder, and juice have global demand of ~30,000 tons each per year, with 6–7% annual growth. If China soon opens its official market for fresh passion fruit, Vietnam could reach USD 1 billion in export revenue with proper planning and quality control.
Source: Nhà đầu tư
