The article provides an overview of Vietnam's agricultural export performance in the first five months of 2020, highlighting a mixed scenario for fresh produce and a notable growth in processed fruits and vegetables exports. Despite a slight year-over-year decrease in the overall fruit and vegetable exports volume, amounting to $1.58 billion, marking a 10.3% drop from the previous year, the sector experienced an uptick in May, with a 2.3% increase compared to April 2020.
Dragon fruit exports, a significant segment of the market, saw a decline of 8.5% in the first four months of 2020, primarily due to a decrease in exports to China, the largest market. On the other hand, exports of processed fruits and vegetables surged by 36.3% from the same period in 2019, with China, Taiwan, and Russia showing a strong interest in these products. This growth underscores the potential of processed agricultural products, especially fruits and vegetables, in both traditional and emerging markets like the Middle East and Africa. The Vietnam Department of Import and Export emphasizes the importance of exploring new markets to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on export dynamics.