 |
|
Vietnam’s coffee exports reach nearly 400 in million USD in February (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)
|
The country shipped 323,000 tonnes of coffee worth 703 million USD during the two-month period, marking a fall of 13.1% in volume and 14.6% in value on-year.
Most notably, exports of Robusta and processed coffee in January fell compared to January, 2022, while Arabica coffee exports enjoyed growth.
Statistics compiled by the General Department of Vietnam Customs indicate that Robusta coffee exports in January reached 128,560 tonnes worth 239.5 million USD, down 27.4% in volume and 28.3% in value on-year.
Exports of Robusta coffee to a number of markets such as Italy, Ecuador, India, and Indonesia in January experienced an upward trend compared to the previous month and against the same period from last year.
 |
|
Harvested fresh coffee (Photo: kinhtedothi.vn)
|
Meanwhile, exports of Arabica coffee in January reached 7,210 tonnes, valued at over 27 million USD, up 16.1% in volume and 4.3% in value year on year.
In particular, exports of Arabica coffee to markets such as Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Spain enjoyed strong growth, while exports to the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Japan, and Indonesia endured a downward trajectory.
Vietnamese tuna to RoK sees impressive growth
Amid Vietnamese tuna exports to major markets enduring a decline in January, exports of the product to the Republic of Korea have witnessed an impressive growth of 457% on-year, according to details given by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
This increase therefore turned the RoK into one of the eight main importers of Vietnamese tuna during the first month of the year, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
In fact, the country’s tuna exports to the RoK continuously grew in the second half of last year with turnover reaching nearly US$7 million, up 84% against the same period from last year.
 |
| Tuna processed for export (Photo: VNA) |
VASEP experts have attributed the rise in the RoK’s imports of canned processed tuna and raw/fresh/frozen tuna from other countries to a decrease in the RoK’s supply source of raw materials for tuna production.
Furthermore, due to unstable tuna exploitation output domestically, the RoK still has to import additional processed and canned tuna from other countries, including Vietnam.
Currently, the country mainly exports frozen steamed tuna loin to the RoK market, accounting for 69% of total export turnover. The average export price of these products last year fluctuated on average at US$ 5,142 per tonne.
After rising to the highest level in May, 2022, of US$ 5,664 per tonne, the average export price of Vietnamese frozen steamed tuna loin to the Korean market decreased, but bounced back late last year.
Nguyen Ha, an expert of the VASEP, revealed that there are currently 18 companies involved in exporting tuna to the Korean market. Of which, Nha Trang Bay, Phat Trien Seafood, and Tuna Vietnam are the three companies that export the majority of tuna to this market, making up 66% of the total export value.
Ha Giang province ready to host first kapok flower festival
The first kapok flower festival will open on March 4 in Meo Vac district in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The event is to promote the special cultural features of the ethnic minority group in mountainous area while simultaneously developing the local tourism sector.
 |
|
Kapok flower in Ha Giang province (Photo: truyenhinhdulich.vn)
|
It will involve a wide range of activities such as ethnic costume competition, and Khen flute performance of Mong ethnic group.
During the event tourists will have opportunities to enjoy taking photos in the kapok flower forest in Po Pi A hamlet, visiting Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark, and planting kapok trees.
It is part of a traditional festival to celebrate the Khen (panpine) of the Mong ethnic group who reside in Ha Giang province.
Durian exports to China anticipated to reach 1 billion USD in 2023
With a solid performance in the final three months of 2022 and the licensing of an additional 230 facilities, durian is expected to become an export to China with a revenue of 1 billion USD this year, said the Nhan Dan newspaper.
According to Vietnamese commercial counsellor in China Nong Duc Lai, Vietnam exported the first batch of durian to China in mid-September last year following the signing of an agreement between China’s customs and Vietnam’s agriculture ministry.
 |
|
Durian on sale at a market in Beijing, China (Photo: NDO)
|
In the final three months of 2022, Vietnam shipped a total of 40,800 tonnes of durian to China and generated a revenue of 188 million USD.
The success of Vietnamese durian in the world’s second-largest economy is attributed to the fact that the market was previously dominated by Thai durian, with high prices and short harvest times.
Vietnamese durian has been able to address such drawbacks with longer harvest times, more affordable prices, short transport distances and a particularly delicious taste.
At a fruit festival held by the Vietnamese Embassy in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin in late 2022, Chinese distributors said they would step up the import and sale of Vietnamese durian through the supermarket and online channels.
Recently, Chinese authorities have granted licences to an additional 230 Vietnamese facilities, including 163 orchards and 67 packaging facilities, that meet the requirements for exporting durian to China.
The latest additions raise the total number of eligible Vietnamese durian facilities to 343.
Counsellor Nong Duc Lai said that with a positive performance in 2022, hundreds of newly licensed facilities and the warm reception of Chinese consumers, Vietnamese durian could bring in 1 billion USD from the Chinese market this year.
However, durian growers and exporters need to strictly comply with phytosanitary requirements, ensure product quality and step up promotion across different channels.
Localities are also advised to plan the growing areas following market demand and refrain from overexpansion to avoid unnecessary risks./.