IFC works with Vietnam to expand export markets for dragon agricultural products

IFC inked a deal with the Plant Protection Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Over the next four years, IFC’s work with the department will primarily focus on enhancing exports of internationally recognized-quality dragon fruit and passion fruit, some of the largest and fastest-growing single fruit product categories with strong potential to access high-value markets. While exports of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables have more than tripled within just five years to 2018, the bulk of produce is still exported through informal channels and at less competitive prices due to inefficient standards.

To help address this challenge, the two parties will work to enhance the legal framework and public services in opening new export markets. Efforts will also aim to improve the quality and safety of dragon fruit and passion fruit by updating and enforcing requirements for phytosanitary measures, traceability, quality, and food safety standards in line with international practices and the requirements of importing countries.

“As tax is no longer a trade barrier with free trade agreements in place, meeting sanitary and phytosanitary requirements is now the No.1 concern for Vietnamese agricultural products to enter export markets,” said Hoang Trung, director of the Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This co-operation with IFC will help accelerate our continued efforts to unlock our export potential and the success of this project will serve as a basis to scale up to other agricultural products.”

In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, Government of Japan, and Korea Green Growth Trust Fund of the World Bank Group, IFC will help launch an interactive online system on export-related requirements for dragon and passion fruits by 2022.

Quality infrastructure services will also be improved to ensure export product conformity to international standards. These services will cover standard development, testing, and certification of fresh and processed dragon fruit and passion fruit to meet export market requirements.

“Access to new and diversified markets will not only help increase export revenue and expand production, it will also improve the resilience of Vietnamese agribusinesses against the declining demand in their markets due to crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR. “This will help protect jobs and livelihoods for millions of agribusiness workers and farmers and help build a higher value-added, export-oriented, and resilient agribusiness sector in Vietnam.”