Vietnamese dragon fruit have reportedly gained access to Chile and South Korea subject to irradiation or heat treatment and registration of orchards.
The new market access will add momentum to the already rapidly-growing Vietnamese dragon fruit sector. The country’s dragon fruit exports have quadrupled to the US so far this year, and tripled to Japan.
The protocols for Korea and Chile require Vietnamese dragon fruit growers to register with the relevant quarantine authorities, reported VOV News.
Companies in the southern provice of Binh Thuan are already undergoing the licensing process, said president of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association Bui Dang Hung.
The province has 12,300ha of dragon fruit orchards, 2,100ha of which are certified under the VietGAP standard, the VOV News report said.
The majority of Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports are sold across the border to China, but exports to other Asian nations, the US and Europe are increasing.
