Fruit market vibrant prior to lunar New Year

According to the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the fruit market has been fairly vibrant with the supply of fruits tending to increase to meet the demand during the festive season.
At most orchards in the Mekong Delta, traders have been buying all types of fruits for Tet holidays, including pomelo, sweet mandarin orange, mango, and dragon fruit at prices VND5,000-VND7,000 per kilogram higher than those in last year. For instance, green-peel pomelos are sold at VND30,000-VND32,000 per kilogram; sweet mandarin oranges are priced from VND35,000 to VND40,000 per kilogram. Meanwhile, the price of dragon fruits has risen to VND15,000 per kilogram, doubling that in two months ago. The price of red-flesh dragon fruits is expected to continue to climb higher and might reach VND30,000-VND35,000 per kilogram when the demand surges. After dropping sharply, the price of jackfruits at many places in the Mekong Delta has recovered by VND15,000-VND16,000 per kilogram, compared to that in a month earlier.

According to the MARD, export turnover of fruits and vegetables was estimated to reach US$3.74 billion last year, a decrease of 1.9 percent compared to the previous year. China was the largest fruit and vegetable importer of Vietnam in the first 11 months of last year with 65.7 percent of market share.

Meanwhile, imports of vegetables and fruits were estimated to hit $1.75 billion, up 0.3 percent compared to the previous year. Of which, vegetable imports were estimated at $646 million, up 10.1 percent, and fruit imports at $1.1 billion, down 4.1 percent. Vietnam imported vegetables and fruits most from Thailand with $464.2 million, accounting for 28.6 percent, down 26.8 percent over the same period in the previous year. China followed with $420.4 million, accounting for 25.9 percent, up 57.7 percent; the US came next with $261.7 million, accounting for 16.1 percent, up 47.6 percent; Australia chased after with $102.8 million, accounting for 6.3 percent, up 3.1 percent over the same period in the previous year.

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