According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in September 2025 reached USD 1.4 billion, marking a 52.2% year-on-year increase and the highest monthly value ever recorded.

In the first nine months of the year, total fruit and vegetable export turnover reached USD 6.22 billion, up 10.3% compared to the same period in 2024.

The top three importers of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables during this period were China, the United States, and South Korea, accounting for 73.4% of the sector's total export value.

Specifically, exports to the US reached USD 406 million, a 59.8% increase year-on-year.

Exports to South Korea totaled USD 237 million, on par with the same period last year.

Most notably, exports to China in September alone brought in USD 1.07 billion - a record-high figure for monthly exports to the billion-person market.

Compared to September 2024, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports to China increased sharply by 50.7%.

For the first nine months of 2025, exports to China totaled USD 3.86 billion.

This shift marks a turnaround from earlier in the year: while exports to China had been down 9.3% through August, they have now rebounded to post a modest 1.8% year-on-year growth.

According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), the USD 1.07 billion monthly export value is a record for the industry in any single market.

Of that figure, durian alone accounted for around USD 800 million.

The CEO of a fruit export company shared that their firm had recently begun exporting fresh whole durians directly to China.

Although frozen durian from Vietnam was officially approved for export last year, businesses are still refining sourcing and meeting regulatory requirements.

“Still, in September, exports of fresh whole durians to China surged to 320 containers - up from just 150 in August,” the executive told VietNamNet.

The increase was due to the peak harvest season in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, which offered a strong supply of high-quality fruit that passed strict Chinese customs inspections for yellow spot disease and cadmium levels.

Additionally, Vietnam currently enjoys a unique position as the world's sole supplier of fresh durians at this time of year, leading Chinese buyers to flock to Vietnamese exporters.

Looking ahead to the final three months of 2025, Dang Phuc Nguyen predicts durian will continue to be the sector's flagship product.

In the first nine months alone, the "king of fruits" generated between USD 2.6 and 2.7 billion in export revenue.

Gia Lai is still in the midst of harvest season, and the Mekong Delta will soon follow.

Beyond durian, other Vietnamese fruits with strong potential in China include bananas, mangoes, jackfruit, and coconuts.

These fruits have already shown solid growth and are expected to boost exports further in the remaining months of the year.

As a result, Vietnamese fruit exporters could earn an estimated USD 5.5 billion from the Chinese market alone in 2025 - far surpassing the USD 4.63 billion achieved in 2024, according to Vinafruit's projections.

Tam An