Imported produce, mainly from China, has flooded markets in Vietnam to meet demand for fruit and vegetables, reports www.tuoitrenews.vn.
Some 110-150 tonnes of fruits and vegetables are being imported into Hoc Mon wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City on a daily basis, of which Chinese products account for around 70 per cent of the total.
Wholesalers around the city said they have to import from China since home-grown produce from northern Vietnam does not meet demand.
Chinese oranges, pears and pomegranates make up the greatest imported sales volumes, traders said. But fruits from Thailand, Australia and the US also dominate the market.
'Import prices have dropped 10-15 per cent, so many wholesalers have increased their fruit stocks to welcome the coming holidays,' one wholesaler is quoted as saying. 'My sales rose 25 per cent compared to the same period last year.'
The value of fresh produce imports into Vietnam rose 26.6 per cent to US$71m in the first quarter of this year compared to the prior-year, according to Vietnam's general department of statistics.
Chinese products accounted for 53.5 per cent of total fruit and vegetable imports during that period, with US fruits taking second place.
Chinese products dominate the low-cost segment, traders said. US fruits, meanwhile, are sold in supermarkets and convenience stores around the city.
