Dragon fruit shipments from Vietnam to the US, UK, and Germany have significantly increased in the first four months of the year, ranging from 100-266% compared to last year. Despite a slight decline in total exports, the proportion of dragon fruit in Vietnam’s export fruit basket has increased. This is due to a significant decrease in exports to China, the main market, while exports to other countries have seen a sharp increase.
In the first four months of the year, Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports reached 230 million USD, a decrease of 7.5% compared to the same period in 2023. China, along with Hong Kong and Japan, experienced declines in dragon fruit imports from Vietnam. In contrast, exports to the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, and India have seen a surge.
Exports to Germany and the UK increased by 2.3-2.7 times, reaching 786,000 USD and over 1 million USD respectively. The US saw an increase of over 102% in dragon fruit exports, while India increased by 33%. This sudden increase in exports to new markets is a positive sign for Vietnamese dragon fruit producers.
According to industry experts, the demand for Vietnamese dragon fruit in Western countries has been on the rise. Factors such as uniform fruit size and weight have made Vietnamese dragon fruit more appealing to consumers abroad. With global dragon fruit supplies affected by El Nino, Vietnamese goods have seen an opportunity to capture new markets.
Thanks to increased demand from new markets and reduced supply due to climate change effects, dragon fruit prices have remained high in the first months of the year. Currently, white-fleshed dragon fruit prices have increased to 14,000-16,000 VND per kg, while red intestine dragon fruit prices range from 30,000 to 43,000 VND per kg.
In Binh Thuan province, the largest dragon fruit growing area in Vietnam, the hot weather and strong winds have led to higher fruit yields but decreased fruit quality. Despite the challenges, the outlook for Vietnamese dragon fruit exports remains positive due to increased demand from international markets.