California peaches, nectarines gain access to Vietnamese market

VIETNAM – Vietnam has opened its doors to California peaches and nectarines after years of technical negotiations aimed at addressing phytosanitary requirements.

This breakthrough marks a significant achievement for both the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and California’s stone fruit industry.

The USDA announced the successful market access, highlighting the long process of eliminating the phytosanitary barriers that kept California peaches and nectarines out of the Vietnamese market.

 “This market access is a big win for California’s nectarine and peach producers,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA’s undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs.

“Our APHIS trade team members have worked diligently to make this a reality for Vietnam’s citizens. We are thrilled they will now have access to the fine peach and nectarine fruit that California produces.”

The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) expressed its gratitude to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Agricultural Research Service, along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Fresno County and Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner offices for their roles in the process.

“This is a fantastic example of USDA scientists providing the quality and objective research that was essential for Vietnam’s approval and for future US industry exports,” stated Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education and economics.

She emphasized that the new market access underscores the critical value of federal scientific research and data to the overall food supply system.

CFFA acknowledged the strict production and packing protocols that will be required, but expressed confidence in California stone fruit shippers’ ability to meet Vietnam’s standards.

“The California stone fruit industry identified Vietnam as a strategic export market because Vietnamese consumers value high quality and sweet fruit,” said Caroline Stringer, CFFA director of trade.

“Access to this market is something our industry has been working towards for a significant amount of time, so we are looking forward to introducing the best stone fruit in the world to a new group of consumers.”

Opportunities in the Singaporean Market

In related news, Vietnamese fresh agricultural products are poised to enter the Singaporean market following a visit by a delegation from Singapore.

On July 12, the delegation visited agricultural farms in the Mekong Delta province of Long An to learn about food safety management policies, disease control, and the agricultural export certification process.

The visit, led by Trade Counsellor and Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore Cao Xuan Thang, included stops at Duong Vu Limited Liability Company, Hai Au Farm, and Ba Huan high-tech poultry farm.

Thang highlighted that Vietnam became the largest exporter of rice to Singapore in the first quarter of 2024 and the fifth largest exporter of aquatic products.

Following the visit, Singaporean authorities recognized the potential to increase imports of other Vietnamese products, particularly egg and meat products.

Thang noted that during the visit, Singapore’s management agencies and experts were impressed with the farms they visited. He remarked, “Vietnam’s management model, production scale, and disease control are quite good.”

However, he added that authorities from both sides need to continue working together to meet the requirements for exporting products to Singapore.

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