According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, in 2024, durian led fruit exports with a revenue of $3.21 billion, accounting for nearly 45% of the total value of the fruit and vegetable industry.

However, in the first two months of this year, durian exports dropped sharply by 69.3% compared to the same period last year, bringing in only $52.6 million.

Most notably, after two consecutive years at the top, the “king of fruits” slipped to third place in Vietnam’s fruit export rankings, now contributing less than 7.7% of the total.

Dragon fruit exports also declined, but less drastically than durian.

With an export value of $93.8 million, this superfood has replaced durian as the top fruit export in the past two months, accounting for nearly 13.7% of total exports in the sector.

In 2024, banana exports ranked fourth, earning $380 million and accounting for a modest 5.32%.

Yet, in the first two months of this year, bananas brought in $71.6 million, overtaking both coconuts and durians to secure second place in the high-potential $7 billion fruit industry.

Currently, China is Vietnam's largest banana export market. In 2024, this populous nation increased banana imports from Vietnam to nearly 625,250 tons, with a value of approximately $261.5 million.

For the first time in a decade, Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines to become the top banana supplier to China.

Vietnamese bananas are favored for their superior quality, attractive appearance, and competitive pricing. Vietnamese companies have also capitalized on geographic proximity to reduce logistics costs significantly compared to competitors like the Philippines and Ecuador.

In addition to China, Vietnam also exports large quantities of bananas to South Korea and Japan.

In a recent letter to shareholders, Doan Nguyen Duc, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hoang Anh Gia Lai JSC (HAGL), stated that the company mainly exports bananas to China, South Korea, and Japan.

According to Duc, banana prices for exports to South Korea and Japan are fixed annually, while those to China are negotiated weekly. Notably, for the week of April 7-13, the company set the export price at $12 per box, a 10% increase compared to the previous week.

Tam An