First batch of dragon fruit ships to Australia

Vietnam shipped its first batch of dragon fruit to Australia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said during an event held in the Hoàng Phát Fruit Company Ltd, Long An Province, on Wednesday.

Speaking at a ceremony, which was held in Hoàng Phát Fruit Company Ltd, to annouce the first batch of dragon fruit to be exported to Australia, MARD Deputy Minister Trần Thành Nam said the export of Vietnamese dragon fruit to Australian was important for the local agricultural sector, highlighting the efforts of farmers, exporters and agencies.

According to Hoang Phat Company Director Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, the batch comprised 3 tonnes of white-flesh dragon fruit. The dragon fruit exported to Australia must have been cultivated in good farming areas, which will be inspected by the MARD’s Plant Protection Department. At the same time, it must undergo vapour heat treatment (VHT) for 40 minutes at 46.5 degrees Celsius with a minimum of 90 per cent humidity at a processing facility approved by the department.

Phạm Văn Cảnh, vice chairman of Long An People’s Committee said the success opens the way for the province’s fruit to enter other choosy markets. He added that at present, 80 per cent of dragon fruit grown in Long An is shipped to China, 15 per cent is sold on the domestic market and only 5 per cent is exported to other markets including Japan, Thailand, the US and Europe. He said the provincial authorities will provide more guidance to local farmers and exporters in improving production and preservation techniques to meet Australia’s requirements.

 MARD Deputy Minister Trần Thành Nam said the export of Vietnamese dragon fruit to Australian was important for the local agricultural sector, highlighting the efforts of farmers, exporters and agencies.

“It also creates co-ordination among them to generate quality products that ensure food safety. This is also a chance to demonstrate the level of technical management capacity of Việt Nam’s agricultural industry that needs to be recognised on the international market,” said Nam.

Karen Lanyon, the Australian consul general in HCM City, expressed her delight to witness a new step in business co-operation between the two countries.

She said she had enjoyed dragon fruit in Việt Nam and she was happy to know that now her family and friends in Australia can enjoy it.