Fruit, Vegetable Exports up 20.6 per cent in First Half
Vietnam has notched up US$157 million from fruit and vegetable exports in the first six months of 2007, up 20.6 per cent against the same period of last year and fulfilling 52.3 per cent of yearly plan, said the General Statistics Office.
Vietnam is expected to increase its total export revenue from fruit and vegetable export to $300 for the whole 2007, $7000 million in 2010 and $1 billion in 2015, from $263 million in 2006.
To meet the set targets, the state bodies, enterprises, scientists and farmers need to further cooperate in producing bigger volumes of fruits and vegetables with higher quality at lower costs to meet big orders from such markets as China, the USA Japan and Australia.
It is also encouraging farmers to apply an orchard-growing model in accordance with the international standard of Good Agriculture Practice.
Vietnam has regarded 11 local fruits with stronger competitiveness, including mangosteen, dragon fruit, grapefruit, thick-skinned oranges, mango, star apples, pineapple, litchi and durian, as key export items.
Besides, it has urged fruit exporters in the country to use advanced freezing facilities, packing plants, special-use containers and cleaning equipments.
Vietnam has eyed 550,000 hectares of vegetables, 750,000 hectares of orchards, and 10,000 hectares of flowers by 2010, which are estimated to annually turn out nine million tons of fruits, 11 million tons of vegetables, and 3.5 billion of flower sprigs each year, according to the agriculture ministry. (GSO Jun Edition, www.rauhoaquavn.vn)
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