Fruit producers seek bigger export markets

After a two-year promotional campaign in Russia, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta’s exports of fruit to that country have increased substantially.

Particularly popular in Russia are sweet mango, dragonfruit, rambutan and longan, according to Le Quang Ninh, head of the department of investment, trade and tourism promotion of the Tien Giang Investment Promotion Center. The Tien Giang Province-based MT Ltd. Co. has exported 1,000 tons of rambutan as well as banana, manioc and citronella to the US and the Repulic of Korea this year. During the first eight months of the year, the CPR Export Ltd. Co. exported 80 tons of honey pomelos from the Huong Mien Tay (Western Scent) fruit depot to Germany. That amount was three  times higher than last year, and is expected to reach 100 tons by the year-end. Dam Van Hung, owner of the Western Scent fruit depot, said that overseas clients had requested even more but his supplies were insufficient. Besides the Nam Roi pomelo, the “king of fruit” in the Mekong Delta, honey pomelo has also become popular for its taste. Despite the increased demand, the Ha Noi-based Xoai (Mango) Import-Export and Investment Ltd. Co., a regular exporter to the Russian market, has exported only a few hundred kilos of fruit as air shipping is costly. Tran Anh Dung, owner of a fruit depot in Ben Tre Province, said there were few businesses that could work with him to export fruit. Dung said that most fruit depot owners have to seek potential customers themselves.