Vietnam gains market share as China’s third-largest fruit and vegetable supplier

In the first half of 2026, China spent approximately US$2.16 billion importing fruits and vegetables from Vietnam, up 19.3% year-on-year, according to Chinese customs data.

With this growth, Vietnam continues to rank third among top suppliers to China, behind Thailand and Chile. Notably, the country’s market share in China rose from nearly 13.8% in the first half of 2025 to almost 15.8% in the same period this year, narrowing the gap with second-placed Chile to under one percentage point.

In a single year, Vietnam not only boosted its export value but also captured additional market share in one of the world's largest fruit and vegetable markets.

Vietnam’s rise is backed by both supply capacity and a shifting product structure, with durian serving as the main growth engine.

Over the six- month period, China spent nearly US$988 million on fresh and frozen durian from Vietnam, a 43.4% surge year-on-year. Durian alone accounted for nearly half of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export turnover to China.

While exports of mangoes, dragon fruit, and bananas fell, coconut shipments surged. The fresh, dried, and frozen fruit category hit about US$1.63 billion, up 17% and making up over 80% of total fruit and vegetable export value to China.

Another vital factor is geographical proximity. According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, shorter shipping distances allow fresh produce from Vietnam to reach China faster, maintain higher quality, and incur lower logistics costs compared to competitors in South America and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

This advantage is particularly critical for fresh fruit, which relies heavily on transport time. As Chinese demand for tropical fruit expands from major metropolises to tier-2 and tier-3 cities and northern and western provinces, suppliers closer to the market gain further growth potential.

Official market access granted through bilateral protocols with China has also created favorable conditions for businesses to expand raw material zones and output.

However, the market is enforcing increasingly strict requirements on imports. According to Nguyen, China is tightening controls from enterprise registration and growing area codes to packaging facilities. Origin fraud, code borrowing, or pest contamination could trigger code suspensions or revocations, directly affecting export capacity across entire growing areas.

Consequently, enterprises must exercise genuine control over growing areas, food safety, and origin traceability, while strengthening linkages with farmers and cooperatives to secure stable supplies. The geographic proximity advantage can only be fully realized if quality is maintained throughout preservation and transport.

Furthermore, product diversification helps Vietnamese fruit and vegetables reduce reliance on a few key items. Coconuts and processed products are opening up further room for growth in this market, alongside major staples like durian.

Fruit exports to China set to surge as pomelo and lemon gain market access

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports are expected to see robust growth as China officially opens its market to Vietnamese pomelo and lemon, just days after the first shipments of Vietnamese pomelo were dispatched to Australia.