The United States is a large potential market for fresh flowers for export from Vietnam. Each year, fruit demand in the United States is up to 12 million tons. The country’s domestic fresh fruit production can only cover 70% of the demand, the remaining 30% (equivalent to about 3.6 million tons) has to be imported.

According to the Department of Plant Health, the whole country currently has 105,400 acres producing over 175,000 tonnes, the Northern Midlands and Mountains has more than 30,000 hectares producing 253,000 tonnes. In particular, the Mekong Delta has about 32,000 hectares with a production of about 369,000 tons… This is a huge space and an opportunity for Vietnamese fruit in general and fresh pomelos in particular to reach the US market.

According to US regulations, the growing area and processing facility for fresh Vietnamese pomelos exported to the US must be registered with the Plant Protection Department and the US Animal and Plant Health Quarantine (APHIS) and regularly inspected and monitored throughout the pomelo harvest will.

Accordingly, grapefruit growing areas and packers must have appropriate management measures in place to eliminate the pest objects of interest. fruit flies such as Bactrocera dorsalis, Zeugodacus cucurbitae; the fruit borer Prays endocarpa and the fungi Cylindrocarpon lichenicola, Phyllosticta citriasiana.

In particular, it is important to note the application of management measures for the fungi Cylindrocarpon lichenicola and Phyllosticta citriasiana, such as: clean, treat the fungus and grow the whole fruit; Remove all leaves, stems, and other plant parts (except stems shorter than 1 inch that are still attached to the fruit).

In addition, shipments of fresh grapefruit exported to the United States must be irradiated at a minimum dose of 150 Gy, along with a phytosanitary certificate where the additional declaration must clearly identify the batch. Products are not subject to phytosanitary contamination and are manufactured with a systems approach.

So far, the Department of Plant Protection has been coordinating with relevant parties to implement synchronous solutions, with a particular focus on training pomelo producers and exporters on United States import requirements.

The whole country has 36 pomelo-growing regions in 10 provinces, including: Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, Phu Tho, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Hai Duong, and Dak Nong allotted areas were growing pomelos for export to the United States. The total area allocated is 752 ha (representing 0.71% of the pomelo acreage in the country). Production is expected to reach over 13,100 tons (representing 1.4% of the country’s total pomelo production).

At the ceremony announcing the first batch of pomelos from Vietnam to be officially exported to the U.S. market, U.S. Embassy Agricultural Attaché Ms. Sarah Gilleski noted that the U.S. Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine is carrying out a control, inspection and will conduct surveillance on all shipments of Vietnamese fruit to the United States to ensure no pests are associated with the tree.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that the US market is the most difficult market, but demand for fresh fruit import is still very strong. In the coming period, the vice minister also called on all participants in the value chain of agricultural products to work together and work together to build Vietnam’s pomelo brand to become famous in the international market.

In addition to the US market, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue to negotiate with many countries around the world in the coming period to bring our country’s agricultural products, including fruit, to expand export markets.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development entrusts the Plant Protection Department with opening up the pomelo market to New Zealand, China and Korea… Therefore, the Deputy Minister suggested that provincial and urban people should continue to focus on investing in improving quality and production process of grapefruit to ensure export. In addition, he proposed to the Plant Protection Department to implement a fruit tree planting area code program to meet the needs of domestic and export markets.

In the first 10 months of 2022, the country’s total export sales of fruits and vegetables reached $2.76 billion. In particular, fresh grapefruit exported 3,250 tons, with the main export markets being the Netherlands, Germany, China, Canada…