Though still down 2.2% from a year ago, the estimated figure marked an improvement from the almost 30% year-on-year decline seen earlier in the year.
In July exports rose for a second consecutive month, by 33% from the same period last year to $731 million.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said this is a positive sign given the sharp declines earlier. The recovery has been supported by durian, he said.
Exports of the fruit to China, the main market, plummeted early this year after that country adopted stricter import standards.
But shipments have resumed now that supply by major producers like the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta meets Chinese requirements, Nguyen said.
Exports of coconut, processed mango and passion fruit also saw strong increases, with several markets like the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and the Netherlands increasing purchases by 10-70% year-on-year.
But exports to China and Thailand declined by 24% and 29%.
At a conference held on Friday in HCMC, businesses and industry associations said bananas and passion fruit could become key export items.
Efforts are underway to get approval to export passion fruit to the U.S., South Korea and Thailand.
Bananas are already present in several major markets such as Japan, South Korea, the EU, the U.S., and China.
Despite its tougher standards, China remains the top market, accounting for 48.2% of Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports in the first half of the year.
The fruit association forecast exports would rebound in the second half of the year as businesses are amending production and other processes to meet new requirements in importing markets, especially China.
Planting areas and packaging facilities are also being approved at a faster pace and technical procedures are gradually being streamlined through bilateral dialogues, it said.
Exports to major markets like the U.S., EU, Japan, South Korea, and Australia are steadily growing, it noted.
Processed products are accounting for an increasing share of exports, which helps reduce reliance on fresh fruits and prolong shelf life, it added.
Experts said that as durian shipments recover and bananas and passion fruit emerge as new key exports, the fruit and vegetable industry is working to boost output and enhance quality to capture a larger share of the global market.
