Vietnamese grapefruits have officially entered the Australian market.

As of now, pomelo has become the eighth type of fruit from Vietnam to be approved to enter the Australian market (the previous ones were dragon fruit, mango, longan, rambutan, lychee, durian, and passion fruit); while blueberry has also become the eighth type of fruit from Australia to be approved to enter the Vietnamese market (the previous ones were grapes, oranges, citrus, cherries, peaches, nectarines, and plums).

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, Hoang Trung, said at the ceremony that this is not only a trade and technical achievement, but also a vivid demonstration of the close cooperation between Vietnam and Australia in mutual trust, understanding, and sustainable development goals, which is in line with the essence of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and will bring tangible benefits to farmers and consumers in both countries.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung pointed out that the official entry of Vietnamese pomelo into the Australian market indicates that Vietnam's agricultural products' status and integration capability on the international stage continue to improve. Meanwhile, the entry of high-quality Australian blueberries into the Vietnamese market not only enriches consumers' choices but also lays the foundation for building a mutually beneficial two-way supply chain system between the two countries.

He emphasized: "This achievement is due to the close collaboration between the management agencies, enterprises, and farmers of both countries, especially the efforts of the Vietnam Plant Protection Department and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry throughout the negotiation, risk analysis, and plant quarantine conditions formulation process."

The Director of the Vietnam Plant Protection Department, Hoang Jinda, explained that since mid-2023, the department received a notification from Australia about initiating the risk analysis procedure for harmful organisms in Vietnamese pomelos. Subsequently, through multiple rounds of technical consultations, the risk analysis report was continuously improved until both sides reached an agreement and approved the entry of fresh Vietnamese pomelos into the Australian market.

According to the agreement, fresh Vietnamese pomelos exported to Australia must meet the following conditions: the fruit must be intact, with no pedicel or only a short pedicel (cut close to the fruit skin); the planting area and packaging factory must be registered with a code; they must not carry 19 types of harmful organisms prohibited in Australia; the export batch must comply with packaging, labeling, and storage requirements.

In addition, the exported pomelos must undergo irradiation treatment in irradiation facilities approved by the Vietnam Plant Protection Department, with a minimum absorbed dose of 150 Gray (Gy). All export batches must complete plant quarantine procedures before export and undergo quarantine inspection at Australian entry ports.

To ensure that the exported pomelos meet plant quarantine and food safety requirements, the Vietnam Plant Protection Department will cooperate with local professional institutions to organize training and publicity, guiding planting areas and packaging factories to complete code registration and management work.

Currently, fresh Vietnamese pomelos have entered 14 markets, including the United States, South Korea, and New Zealand. Vietnam is the world's second-largest pomelo producer, with a planting area of about 110,000 hectares, an annual production of over 1.2 million tons, mainly concentrated in the Mekong Delta, the Red River Delta, and the northern hilly areas. Vietnam has many excellent varieties of pomelos, such as Qingpi pomelo, Nanrui pomelo, Fukusaku pomelo, Yan pomelo, Duanxiong pomelo, and Xinchao pomelo, with a rich variety of products. In 2024, the export value of fresh Vietnamese pomelos is expected to be about 60 million USD. (End)