For the first time, Vietnamese grapefruit was exported to Australia.

(Chinhphu.vn) - The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) in collaboration with the Australian Embassy in Vietnam organized a ceremony to officially announce the export of Vietnamese grapefruit to Australia - marking the first time this fruit has conquered one of the most demanding markets in the world.

Vietnamese grapefruit has met high standards of safety and traceability.

Vietnamese grapefruit raises agricultural export level

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung emphasized: “Opening the Australian market for Vietnamese grapefruit is a special milestone, demonstrating Vietnam’s prestige and increasing management level in the field of plant quarantine. This is a measure of integration capacity, and at the same time a launching pad for Vietnamese agricultural products to reach other high-end markets.”

To be approved, Vietnamese grapefruit had to undergo nearly two years of rigorous pest risk assessment, accompanied by multiple field inspections and sample analysis from both sides. With this result, grapefruit became the sixth Vietnamese fruit allowed to be exported to Australia, after dragon fruit, mango, lychee, longan and passion fruit.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, exported pomelo batches must ensure that the fruit is intact, free from 19 harmful organisms, produced in a growing area with a code, packaged, labeled, and irradiated at a minimum level of 150 Gy at approved facilities.

Before issuing quarantine certificates, Vietnamese authorities will randomly inspect 600 fruits per batch; upon arrival in Australia, the products will continue to be inspected and monitored.

Affirming integration capacity

According to Deputy Minister Hoang Trung, meeting all of these strict requirements shows that the Vietnamese grapefruit value chain has been comprehensively upgraded, from varieties, growing area management to post-harvest technology, towards international standards.

Vietnam has now exported grapefruit to 14 countries and territories, including the United States, South Korea and New Zealand. The grapefruit growing area nationwide is over 100,000 hectares, with an output of nearly 1 million tons/year. In 2024, grapefruit export turnover will reach about 60 million USD, but the potential is still huge thanks to the advantage of year-round harvesting and competitive production costs.

Green-skinned grapefruit is considered the key variety for the Australian market thanks to its quality, distinctive flavor and long-term preservation ability.

To take advantage of new opportunities, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment recommends that localities, cooperatives and enterprises organize production according to linked chains, apply VietGAP or GlobalGAP standards, and keep full production logs for transparent traceability.

The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection will provide training and guidance on setting up growing area codes, packaging and irradiation facilities, forming a synchronous export chain, ensuring stable and long-term quality.

On the same occasion, Australia also officially exported blueberries to Vietnam, opening up a two-way cooperation direction between the two agricultural sectors. The two sides are continuing to consider opening up some other types of fruit and promoting cooperation in quarantine, irradiation, and agricultural trade, towards a sustainable and reliable supply chain between Vietnam and Australia.

The presence of Vietnamese grapefruit in the Australian market for the first time is not only a commercial success, but also a testament to the capacity for deep integration, affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products on the global export map.

Do Huong

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/lan-dau-tien-buoi-viet-nam-xuat-khau-sang-australia-102251008190721351.htm