Vietnam becomes largest banana exporter to Chinese market

The department cited statistics from the General Administration of Customs China, saying China imported 336,900 tonnes of bananas worth US$159.9 million during the first two months of the year, up 6.1% in volume but down 17.2% in value compared to the same period last year.

The average price of imported bananas reached US$474.5 per tonne, marking a drop of 21.9% year on year.

Vietnam alone exported 173,500 tonnes worth US$70.3 million to China during the reviewed period, up 21% in volume and 1.4% in value.

Most notably, China moved to increase banana imports from the Vietnamese market, but decreased imports from the Philippines. The Philippines’ low production output has fueled a general rise in costs, creating a significant price gap with Vietnamese bananas.

Moreover, according to information given by Import-Export Department, in the past Philippine bananas were highly appreciated due to their flavour. However, at present, the quality of the fruit is not meeting the expectations of consumers.

Therefore, Chinese customers are increasingly keen on Vietnamese and Cambodian bananas.