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The Japanese fruit market: Opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese farmers

by 25 September 2015 Last updated at 18:57 PM

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VTV.vn - The recent visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Japan has triggered the country to allow mango imports from Vietnam. This is the first Vietnamese fruit to be allowed into this market since the dragon fruit 6 years ago.

For Vietnamese fruit farmers, this represents many new opportunities as well as challenges, particularly in customer retention.

Here, Vietnamese dragon fruits are sold at 598 Yen, or 5 USD, each. This brings a much greater profit than when they are sold in Vietnam. The price is still considered low in Japan; nevertheless, low prices are not the only thing needed to remain competitive in the Japanese market. 

The negotiation process to bring Vietnamese dragon fruits into Japan lasted 8 years. 6 years later, Vietnamese mangoes were also accepted, following the country’s success in curing the fruit of a fatal disease using steam technology. This was a milestone for Vietnamese fruit processing technology. 

Japan’s strict standards could prove to be a great test for Vietnamese fruit production. Having successfully entered this difficult market, Vietnamese fruit farmers can now extend their vision to other big markets, such as Europe and the US.