Improving the competitiveness of 4 key fruit products

According to the Vietnamese fruit industry, the pressure is on to expand export markets and affirm its brand. Accordingly, four main fruits, including passion fruit, banana, pineapple and coconut, have great growth potential, approaching billions of USD and are contributing to diversifying the export product structure of the fruit and vegetable industry.

Many advantages, export potential

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , fruit trees are increasingly asserting their role as a driving force for agricultural growth, increasing farmers' income, and making an important contribution to the country's agricultural export turnover.

Passion fruit, banana, pineapple and coconut are typical representatives of agricultural products with many advantages and export potential.

In 2024, the total fruit growing area will be about 1.3 million hectares, of which four types of fruit, passion fruit, banana, pineapple and coconut, are typical representatives, converging many advantages and export potential.

MSc. Ngo Quoc Tuan - Deputy Director of the Post-Import Plant Quarantine Center II, said: With passion fruit, Vietnam currently has 163 thousand tons of output per year, mainly from the Central Highlands. Passion fruit is in the final stages of being granted an import license by the US; at the same time, the application has been sent to Korea and Thailand. Bananas currently have an output of 3 million tons, and are the main export item to China, Japan, Korea and the EU.

With more than 625 thousand tons exported to China in 2024, the banana industry is oriented to maintain market share by improving quality, design and branding.

Pineapple output reached 860 thousand tons, mainly grown in the Mekong Delta. By 2030, it is expected to reach nearly 1 million tons, with expanded acreage and scattered planting for processing and off-season. General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association - Dang Phuc Nguyen said that the world's demand for pineapple is increasing strongly, with the global market size reaching about 29 billion USD in 2024 and continuing to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.3%.

The European and North American markets account for 50% of consumption demand, showing great export potential. In addition, coconut is the fruit with the largest area, 202 thousand hectares, output 2.28 million tons, mainly from the Mekong Delta. In 2024, fresh coconut exports will reach 390 million USD, accounting for 31% of total coconut export turnover.

According to the Vietnam Coconut Association, more and more Vietnamese businesses are investing in new technologies and products, from whole coconuts, diamond-cut coconuts to laser-cut coconuts. Thanks to that, Vietnamese coconuts are now present in more than 40 countries.

Accounting for more than 50% of the country's coconut growing area with nearly 120 thousand hectares, according to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Vinh Long province, the organic coconut growing area is constantly expanding and improving in quality.

The selling price of organic coconuts is 5-15% higher than that of conventionally grown coconuts. The province has 171 codes for coconut growing areas for export, the main export market is China, a few are exported to the US, Europe, Japan, and EU.

The industrial coconut chain for organic production has 34 cooperatives and 20 cooperative groups with a scale of over 21,500 hectares, accounting for 27% of the province's coconut growing area. And there are currently 7 businesses associated in purchasing, processing and exporting.

Need a development strategy

Although fruit products have a lot of potential and export advantages, according to the agricultural sector, in the context of many large markets increasingly tightening quarantine and food safety standards, the four main fruit products are facing many difficulties and challenges.

The agricultural sector is striving to find solutions to increase the value of Vietnamese agricultural products.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh - President of Vietnam Coconut Association, said: Due to the habit of people often bringing new varieties to plant without selection, leading to overlapping and cross-breeding, reducing output quality.

The coconut processing industry is still manual, while many countries have applied modern production lines, leading to disadvantages in terms of cost and logistics. “For sustainable development, the coconut industry needs a stable source of raw materials in terms of quality and output. At the same time, it requires coordination to find solutions to improve productivity and modernize production; it is possible to process coconut in combination with other fruits such as bananas, pineapples, etc. to diversify products, thereby increasing the value of Vietnamese fruits.

In addition, it is necessary to promote the coconut tree ecosystem through intercropping, taking advantage of the water retention and soil improvement properties of coconut to increase ecological value and carbon credits," said Ms. Thanh.

Meanwhile, to sustainably develop passion fruit products, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nafoods Joint Stock Company, said that state management agencies need to have clear orientation and planning, avoiding the situation of massive planting when prices are high, leading to price drops.

It is necessary to control Chinese traders and foreign factories that purchase at too low prices. Strengthen management of fake and poor quality seeds; it is necessary to manage small-scale production facilities that do not ensure food safety and hygiene, to avoid affecting the common brand of Vietnamese agricultural products...

According to Associate Professor Dr. Pham Anh Tuan - Director of the Institute of Agricultural Mechanics and Post-Harvest Technology, the Vietnamese fruit industry faces many technical barriers from import markets such as plant quarantine, food safety, and traceability.

Some violations have resulted in the revocation of codes for growing areas and packing facilities (durian, jackfruit), affecting trade. “This is the time for the fruit industry to review its development strategy, shifting from large output to increasing quality, technology and brand. Only then can Vietnamese fruit make a sustainable breakthrough in the international market,” said Mr. Tuan.
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Dr. Tran Minh Hai, Vice Principal of the School of Public Policy and Rural Development, said that to overcome the situation of contract breaches and improve fruit export capacity, the cooperative model is the key fulcrum.

Enterprises should link up through cooperatives to manage growing area codes, organize raw material areas and control output. Cooperatives are not only technical hubs but also strategic partners in logistics and product quality.

Mr. Tran Thanh Nam - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment: The four types of fruit passion fruit, pineapple, coconut and banana have great potential for competitiveness, production and market demand. The total cultivation area of these four types of fruit is currently about 420 thousand hectares with an output of over 6.3 million tons, showing abundant production resources. However, the fruits still face many challenges such as: lack of good varieties, varieties resistant to important pests and diseases, lack of standard raw material areas, low processing rate, lack of national brands, the market still has many potential risks, problems in tracing the origin... Therefore, providing varieties, fertilizers to consuming products not only ensures a stable source of raw materials but also enhances the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market.

Article and photos: TRA MY

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202507/nang-cao-suc-canh-tranh-4-san-pham-trai-cay-chu-luc-0b50918/