The first four months of the present season, Vietnam exports 355,000 tonnes of its bananas China making it the biggest export quantity to this market that any other country has ever had. It was 2.4 times greater than the exports of the Philippines and is second in the world’s top exporters with a share of 48.6 percent of China’s total exports of bananas. It is the first time that Vietnam surpassing China and the Philippines in this area.

In spite of a 22% year-on-year increase in the volume of exports to China and the Chinese market, exports of Vietnam was only a 3 percentage increase, reaching USD145 million. This disparity is due to an increase of 16% in value per ton of $407.7. A top executive of a export company located in Dong Nai Province attributed the decrease in price to increased competition in China and the diversification of its suppliers for bananas.

The executive also noted the competitive advantage of Vietnam can be attributed to a decline in the production and the quality of Philippines the bananas. This is exacerbated due to climate changes. In addition, Dang Phuc Nguyen, who is the general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association said that rising cost of shipping has made Philippine bananas 30% more costly as those from Vietnam for in the Chinese market.

Source: e.vnexpress.net