Imported fruit is becoming more popular in Vietnam, with the value of imports rising by 50 percent a year over the past five years.
Vietnam Customs General Department said the nation imported 275,000 tons of fruit worth US$74 million in the first six months of 2009, almost 50 percent more than in the same period last year.
About 200,000 tons of fruit worth $54 million was imported into Vietnam in each half of last year, according to the department.
The official figures don’t take into account the fruit imported overland through Vietnam’s borders with China, Laos, and Cambodia.
By law, people can carry goods worth up to VND2 million ($112.50) through the border gates without declaring them.
Traders admitted imported fruit was of better quality and appearance than much of the locally-grown produce.
Foreign fruits as mangosteen, mango and tamarind are popular in Vietnam because of their superior taste, firmness, freshness and appearance.
Imported fruit often have fewer defects and are sold in nice packaging with clear information on expiry dates and quality checks, while local fruit is usually sold at markets, unlabeled and sitting loose in big open baskets.
Foreign fruit is also often cheaper than Vietnamese-grown fruit. Fruit from Thailand and China can be VND2,000 to VND3,000 (11-17 US cents) cheaper than the local versions.
For example, Thai mangosteens sell for VND15,000 to VND17,000 ($1) a kilogram, oranges from Thailand for VND8,000 (44 cents) and mangos for VND12,000 to VND13,000 (67-72 cents).
While imports have been rising, exports of Vietnamese fruit have been falling.
In the first half of this year, Vietnam only exported 98,000 tons of fruit, generating $35 million, one third of the value and volume of fruit exported in the same period last year.
Last year, the nation exported 277,000 tons of fruit worth $98.1 million.
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