Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports near $5.87 billion as durian shipments surge
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached nearly $5.87 billion in January-August 2026, up 21.8% year on year. Durian remained the main growth driver, while China accounted for almost 59% of sector exports in the first seven months.
Exports exceed $1 billion for a second month
Vietnam exported nearly $5.87 billion of fruit and vegetables in the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 21.8% from the same period of 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. The sector passed $5.8 billion one month earlier than it did last year.
August exports were estimated at about $1.1 billion, up 1.3% from July and 14.6% year on year. It was the second consecutive month in which monthly shipments exceeded $1 billion. The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association expects continued growth in the final months of the year and has set a 2026 export target of approximately $9.5-10 billion, VnEconomy reported.
Durian drives growth as Central Highlands harvest expands
Durian was the principal contributor. Vietnamese customs data cited by VnEconomy put durian exports at about $1.77 billion in the first seven months, up 47.1% year on year and equal to nearly 37% of total fruit and vegetable export revenue. Peak harvesting in the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Lam Dong increased supplies for overseas buyers.
Vietnam’s durian area reached about 195,000 hectares at the end of 2025, almost three times its 2020 level. Production rose from roughly 600,000 tonnes in 2020 to 1.8 million tonnes in 2025 and is expected to exceed 2 million tonnes in 2026. The September-October peak season also coincides with sharply lower Thai supply after the end of Thailand’s harvest. Experts cited by VnEconomy estimate that durian could contribute another $1.2-1.5 billion, or more under favorable market conditions, during the final four months of the year.
China retains a dominant market share
China purchased more than $2.8 billion of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables in January-July, a 33.1% annual increase. It represented almost 59% of the sector’s export revenue. The United States ranked second at $361.1 million, up 14.4%, followed by South Korea at $201.4 million, up 9.6%, and Japan at $147.5 million, up 4%.
During an August visit, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment worked with China’s General Administration of Customs. China had approved 401 Vietnamese growing areas and 166 packing facilities. Vietnam also piloted a durian traceability system during the first half of 2026, allowing buyers to verify product information through authentication codes on labels. India separately opened its market to fresh Vietnamese durian in mid-July, offering exporters another outlet beyond their established markets.
Coconut and processed products broaden the portfolio
Coconut was the second-largest export product, generating $367.4 million in the first seven months, up 20%. Vietnam has about 200,000 hectares of coconut plantations producing approximately 2 million tonnes annually, and around one-third of the area meets US and European organic standards. Other reported export values included $322.8 million for pistachios, up 111%; $321.9 million for dragon fruit; $265 million for mangoes; $257.1 million for bananas; and $186.8 million for passion fruit, up 25.6%.
Dried, individually quick-frozen and juice products accounted for more than 30% of total export revenue. That processing base gives suppliers an outlet for expanding raw-material production and supports higher-value sales. Growth nevertheless depends on food safety, quarantine compliance, traceability and the continued management of registered growing areas and packing facilities, particularly as import markets impose tighter controls.
