In the first half of 2023, Vietnamese fruit exports witnessed considerable growth. In total, exports of vegetables and fruits were estimated to have risen 63 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2023 with a revenue of US$2.8 billion. Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade also expressed its interest in greater US engagement in agricultural product export, with Vietnam’s fresh lychee and grapefruit being granted access to the American market for the first time. Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is also negotiating the export of coconut and longan to the US to expand Vietnam’s agriculture export market.
Despite an encouraging outlook for Vietnam’s fruit exports, some challenges remain. Vietnam’s poor infrastructure for storage resulted in post-harvest losses of up to 30 percent. Moreover, high logistics costs have made Vietnam’s agricultural products less competitive since Vietnam’s warehouse system such as agricultural processing facilities and cold storages remains inadequate. In meetings with USABC, Vietnamese officials from several provinces have constantly noted that attracting investment into agricultural processing is a priority.
