Vietnam should do for its dragon fruit what Zespri has done for New Zealand kiwifruit, according to one leading exporter.
Mai Xuan Thin, export director of Ho Chi Minh-headquartered Red Dragon Company, says Vietnam should seriously consider an international promotional programme and marketing strategy to make Vietnamese dragon fruit as well-known globally as New Zealand kiwifruit.
With this in mind, Thin has proposed a three-pronged plan to the Vietnamese Fruit and Vegetable Association that involves a strong annual Vietnamese presence at the Asia Fruit Logistica trade show in Hong Kong; increased advertising and publicity in the international trade and consumer press; and Vietnam adopting the dragon fruit as its national symbol.
“Vietnamese dragon fruit has a great future if we adopt a good marketing mindset,” Thin told Fruitnet. “Look what New Zealand has done for kiwifruit.”
Red Dragon’s proposals come on the back of a stellar year for Vietnamese dragon fruit exports, according to grower-shippers.
Demand for their fruit has risen globally, they say, with particular growth from China, Indonesia and the US.
“As an exporter of dragon fruit in Vietnam, we saw that there was a remarkable increase in the volume and value of exports this year compared with last year,” said Ly Thanh Thao, import-export manager for dragon fruit supplier Huang Hao Dragon Fruit Farm. “Our company got a growth of 100 per cent over in the first half of this year because the market demand has been up.”
