Hanoi (VNA) – The first batch of freshlychee has arrived in the US, opening up big opportunities for the specialtyand other Vietnamese fruits to conquer the demanding market.

Thanks to coordination between importer LNS InternationalCorporation and the distributor L&V Food Supply Company in Houston, Texas, freshlychee grown in the northern province of Bac Giang – dubbed Vietnam’s kingdomof the fruit, has been available on the shelves of many supermarketsand the largest Asian market in Houston.

Chinh Nguyen, CEO of L&VFood Supply, said her group and LNS International Corporation are working on aplan to import big shipments of Vietnamese food and fruits to the US this year.

"After three shipments of freshlychees (approximately 9 tonnes) to the US in June, we plan toimport frozen lychee (about 2 containers per month, equivalent toabout 30 tonnes)," she said.

"If Vietnamese suppliers can ensure enough standard products, we will import an additional three shipments (80-90tonnes) this year.”

The success demonstrates the efforts by Vietnameseministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in tradepromotion to deliver Vietnamese agricultural products to demanding markets suchas the US and the European Union.

According to the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development, among Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products,the US has purchased cashew nuts, aquatic products, wood and fruits most. Seventypes of Vietnamese fruits have been shipped to the US so far, namely dragonfruit, rambutan, longan, lychee, star apple, mango, and pomelo.

The US Department of Agriculture forecastthat the US will import up to 199 billion USD worth of agricultural productsthis year, 5 billion USD higher than last year’s figure, which offers anopportunity for Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery exports.

Last year, the US’sfruit-vegetable import reached a record high of over 31 billion USD, including19.3 billion USD of fresh and frozen fruits, an increase of 10% compared to2021. The majority of these imports came from Canada, Mexico, and somecountries in Central and South America.

Apart from Vietnam, the US alsoimported lychee from China, India and Thailand. Vietnam’s Bac Giang lychee hasbeen favoured by local consumers for its quality.

Vietnamese TradeCounsellor in the US Do Ngoc Hung pointed out that there is ample room forVietnamese fruits in the US market.

However, Vietnameseagricultural products and lychee still encounter obstacles in accessing themarket due to the far geographical distance, and high irradiation andtransportation costs.

The Vietnamese tradeoffice in Houston suggested relevant associations and businesses of Vietnam andthe US exchange information and work together to support export-importactivities.

In particular, businessesshould make long-term commitments to ensuring good coordination amongexporters, importers, and distributors for large shipments, exchange marketinformation and share responsibility and risks with partners, thus creating a healthycompetitive environment, Hung said.

He also suggested intensifyingproduct promotion to introduce Vietnamese fruits to other communities in the USapart from Asian consumers./.