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Vietnamese dragon fruit paves the way into the 1.4 billion people market

Mr. Do Quoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Asia and Africa, indicated that the Indian market has the most potential in South Asia with a population of nearly 1.4 billion, with the majority being vegetarians. The locals appreciate dragon fruit thanks to its health benefits, amount of nutrients, and aromatic flavor.

India has already started planting dragon fruits in a number of states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Andaman - Nicobar Islands and other states in the Northeast region. Dragon fruit takes up to approximately 3,000-4,000 ha in the region, with an estimated output of 12,000 tons per year. The Commercial Counselor of Vietnam in India, Mr. Bui Thung Thuong considered this a low output. He highlighted the importance of quality, stating that Indian dragon fruit is not as sweet and delicious as that in Vietnam, which created an opportunity for the country to expand its dragon fruit exports to India.

The Counselor from the Embassy of Vietnam in India, Mr. Do Thanh Hai stated that although export turnover of dragon fruit to India has been increasing in recent years, it is nowhere near the potential and demand of the country. He emphasized the importance of collaborating with state agencies to carry out large-scale advertising programs in India such as hiring celebrities, promoting the benefits of dragon fruit to the health of individuals.

Mr. Bui Trung Thuong stated that businesses and agencies need to pay proper attention to the Indian market, investing more time, effort and financial means to promote dragon fruit exports to the country. He also claimed that dragon fruits are served mainly in hotels and parties, while restaurants, supermarkets, fruit stalls and street vendors did not receive much attention. In addition, the locals are not familiar with processing this type of fruit.

Several agricultural experts accentuated the importance of setting specific targets in the Indian market, strengthening the coordination between the Embassy, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development regarding exchanging information on market, seasons, pricing, area and packing codes.

Associations and businesses also need to be aware of solidarity and cooperation, minimizing competition and establishing a reasonable price in the Indian market. Businesses must ensure credibility and product quality, adequate inspections and payment terms, while postpaid payments are generally not accepted by any means.