(VAN) In the first half of the year, Korea spent over $ 164 million (4,100 billion VND) on Vietnam’s fruits and vegetables, up 55% over last year.
According to the General Customs of Vietnam, South Korea is the second-largest market, after China, for importing Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, accounting for about 5% of the total export market share.
Three main agricultural products significantly contributing to fruits and vegetables export turnover to South Korea include bananas, mangoes, and sesame seeds. Specifically, banana exports reached $ 35.4 million, nearly tripling compared to the same period last year. Mango exports totalled $ 24 million, a 72% increase, and sesame seed exports reached nearly $ 30 million, up 62%.
Additionally, other products like dragon fruit, watermelon, shiitake mushrooms, durian, and pineapple also saw strong growth, ranging from 40% to 217% compared to the same period. Notably, almond exports, a type of nut from Vietnam, reached nearly $ 2 million, marking a 244-fold increase.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s banana processing factory. Photo: Thi Ha.
A representative of a banana exporting business in Gia Lai stated that their products are increasingly winning the favour of South Korean consumers and are widely available in major supermarket chains like Lotte Mart. The bananas, grown in the highlands of Lơ Pang commune, Mang Yang district, Gia Lai province, are distinguished by their thick peel and rich sweetness.
Mr Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, commented that the scale of fruits and vegetables imports from South Korea is continuously growing. It is expected that in the first seven months of the year, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export turnover to South Korea will reach $ 190 million and may continue to increase sharply during the year-end festive season.
As for bananas, the South Korean market size exceeds $ 300 million annually. Therefore, this fruit still has significant potential for growth and market expansion in this country.
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in South Korea, in addition to bananas, products such as watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, grapes, mangoes, and jackfruit are also attracting the attention of South Korean consumers. To compete with other countries like Thailand and the Philippines, Vietnamese products must meet food safety standards and be packaged according to local requirements.
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