Vietnamese dragon fruit (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Demand for Vietnamese dragon fruit in foreign markets is
increasing, with many importers interested in high-quality fruit from Vietnam.
The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, the Department of Industry and Trade of southern
Long An province, and the trade offices of the Vietnamese Embassies in New
Zealand and Australia jointly organised an online consulting session on
exporting dragon fruits to Australia and New Zealand recently.
Speaking at the event opening, Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van
Trung emphasised the importance of promoting agricultural cooperation,
agricultural product trade and market opening for the strategic partnership
between Vietnam and New Zealand.
Vietnam wants New Zealand to share its experience and support Vietnam in
building an international brand and value chain for the global
commercialisation of dragon fruit, following the successful model of New
Zealand’s kiwi fruit, which is recognised worldwide.
Vietnamese trade agencies in Australia and New Zealand shared business
practices and consumption habits of the regional market and trade promotion of
dragon fruit.
They also suggested development orientations, including diversification of
derivative product lines such as dragon fruit powder, frozen dragon fruit,
dried dragon fruit, and dragon fruit juice to reduce pressure in the main
cropping season.
Agencies recommended that businesses and localities develop advertising and
industry branding strategies on the nutritional properties of their products to
enhance consumer awareness and expand customers in addition to the traditional
Asian customer group.
Deputy director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade Chau Thi Le expressed
her hope that through the session, dragon fruit producers would have more
information, knowledge and opportunities to bring dragon fruit to potential
markets such as Australia or New Zealand.
Dragon fruit is one of the key plants of the province. Long An ranks second in
the country in terms of planting and harvesting dragon fruit with about 11,822
hectares, and the fruiting area is approximately 11,000 hectares.
The provincial dragon fruit exports are mainly fresh and frozen to many
markets, including China, the Republic of Korea, the US, Japan, Canada, New
Zealand, Australia, and some Southeast Asian countries. The Chinese market
accounts for about 80 percent of export volume.
However, recently, China’s import and export management policy, the complicated
pandemic situation, and the increase in dragon fruit growing areas in China
have caused many difficulties and losses for Vietnamese growers and export
enterprises.
In addition to consuming and exporting fresh fruit, enterprises in Long An
province also deeply process many products from dragon fruit, such as dried
dragon fruit, dragon fruit wine, dragon fruit juice, mixed dragon fruit powder,
and dragon fruit syrup for domestic and export demand.
The provincial Chau Thanh dragon fruit has also been granted a certificate of
geographical indication registration by the Intellectual Property of Vietnam.
The Tam Vu dragon fruit trademark has been protected in five countries,
including the US, France, Japan, Singapore and China./.