Green-skinned pomelo from Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta (buoi da xanh, green-skinned pomelo) was with the October 2022 USDA Federal Register notice officially authorized for export to the United States, becoming the seventh Vietnamese fresh fruit exportable to the United States, after dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, lychee, star apple and mango. In November of that year, the first shipment was air-freighted from Ben Tre province, and since then shipment volume, registered orchards and contracted buyers have accumulated step by step. In the first quarter of 2025, total pomelo export value expanded to US$17.5 million (+60.6% year on year), and in 2026 the phase has entered one where practical aspects are the lead—rather than new authorization news—such as expanded shipments, U.S. contracts, and port/cold-chain buildout.
Where U.S. exports stand now: from authorization to a practical-expansion phase
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) opened a public-comment procedure in December 2021 and, in the Federal Register notice dated October 4, 2022, confirmed approval of imports of fresh Vietnamese pomelo. In response, a first-shipment-to-the-U.S. ceremony was held in Ben Tre province on November 28, 2022, and Cathay Cargo air-freighted Ben Tre green-skinned pomelo to the United States. Export conditions include orchard registration (PUC), certification of the post-harvest treatment facility, a quarantine disinfestation step by irradiation (X-ray or electron beam), and fruit-size standards.
Subsequent shipments entered a phase of building up volume, and industry reports based on Vietnamese customs statistics state that total pomelo export value in Q1 2025 was US$17.5 million (+60.6% year on year) and that it expanded rapidly. In addition to the United States, destinations are diversifying to the EU, Canada, Russia, the Middle East and countries across Asia. Since the start of 2026, a first shipment to Australia has also been carried out, with green-skinned pomelo from Vinh Long and Dong Thap provinces winning a new export destination.
The 2026 point of debate: not authorization news, but shipment volume, contracts and facility buildout
The debate over green-skinned pomelo in 2026 has shifted not to new authorization but to "how to expand the commercial flow accumulated over the three years since authorization". Specifically, the following three points become the industry's areas of interest.
- Expanding irradiation-treatment capacity: two facilities in the south handle the irradiation step for the United States, and the buildout of additional facilities to handle rising shipment volume is under consideration.
- Adding registered orchards (PUC) and post-harvest treatment facilities: Ben Tre province plans to add 200-plus registered orchards for U.S. export and about 10 packing houses within 2026.
- Expanding U.S. retail routes: contracted volume is building up, centered on Asian and natural-food chains such as H Mart, Whole Foods and 99 Ranch.
The government's US$10 billion produce-export target plan makes expanding share in "high-quality markets" such as the United States, the EU, Japan and Australia a core strategy, and the U.S. expansion of pomelo is positioned as a proof-of-concept case for it.
Main growing regions and pomelo planting area
The main growing regions for green-skinned pomelo are Ben Tre province, where about 8,000 hectares are concentrated, centered on Mo Cay Bac, Chau Thanh and Giong Trom districts. Vinh Long Province grows green-skinned pomelo alongside the famous "Nam Roi pomelo" variety centered on Binh Minh city, with the total pomelo planting area reaching about 8,619 hectares. Dong Nai province(5,426 ha) is also a major growing region, and together with the two provinces supports Vietnam's overall pomelo supply.
Vietnamese fruits authorized for U.S. export (chronological)
| Order | Items | Year of USDA authorization | Main growing regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragon fruit | 2008 | Binh Thuan province (now Lam Dong province), Long An province |
| 2 | Rambutan | 2011 | Ben Tre province, Vinh Long province |
| 3 | Longan | 2014 | Hung Yen province, Son La province |
| 4 | Lychee | 2014 | Bac Giang province, Hai Duong province |
| 5 | Star apple | 2017 | Tien Giang province |
| 6 | Mango | 2019 | Dong Thap province, An Giang province |
| 7 | green-skin pomelo | 2022 (first shipment in November of that year) | Ben Tre province 8,000 ha, Vinh Long province 8,619 ha, Dong Nai province 5,426 ha |
Industry and local reaction
The agriculture and environment division of the Ben Tre Provincial People's Committee comments that "pomelo farmers' income of VND 300–500 million per hectare (about JPY 1.76–2.94 million, converted at 170 VND = 1 JPY) is the stable level, and establishing a direct-sales route to the United States links directly not to the processing unit price but to lifting the fresh-fruit unit price." The province plans to build out 200-plus registered orchards (PUC) for U.S. export and about 10 post-harvest treatment facilities (packing houses) within 2026.
An export-trading-company source in Binh Minh city, Vinh Long province, says, "Shipments have centered on Russia, Canada, the EU and the Middle East, but as direct shipments to U.S. retail chains (including Asian supermarkets such as H Mart, Whole Foods and 99 Ranch) expand, we can grow annual export value three- to five-fold." Meanwhile, an expert at the Plant Protection Department points out, "There are currently only two irradiation facilities in southern Vietnam, so to greatly increase shipment volume within the year, it is preferable not to delay the decision to build additional facilities."
Practical information for Japanese agriculture stakeholders and importers
For Japan's produce importers and fruit specialist trading firms, the U.S. expansion of Vietnamese green-skinned pomelo becomes material for rethinking the Japanese market's positioning. Vietnamese green-skinned pomelo was also opened to import into Japan in 2017 and still circulates year-round, if in small volumes. As U.S.-bound shipment volume and cold-chain investment expand, the stability of supply to Japan also rises. In particular, in supermarkets' and produce buyers' "Asian fruit" sections, its positioning as a year-round item alongside Taiwanese and Thai pomelo looks set to strengthen.
At import, the practical points are confirming compliance with pesticide-residue standards (the Positive List system), a container-level irradiation certificate (equivalent to PPQ Form 203), and sorting by grade by sugar content, pH and fruit weight. For OEM processors, Vietnamese product becomes a realistic option for a stable procurement route as a raw material for Japanese-citrus-style dressings, jams, jellies and dried processed goods made with pomelo.
Ripple effects on the industry
The U.S. expansion of pomelo is also beginning to ripple into the fruit-export strategies of competitors Thailand, the Philippines and Mexico. Thailand is already authorized to export nine items to the United States (durian, mangosteen, etc.), and Vietnam is chasing in the number of items. However, because green-skinned pomelo has a small cultivation scale in China and Thailand, it may be positioned as a niche item unique to Vietnam.
Also, the practical know-how of U.S. expansion will have a positive effect on future protocol negotiations for frozen durian, passion fruit, coconut and more. The Plant Protection Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) is continuing negotiations with "coconut, passion fruit and frozen durian as the next targets," and green-skinned pomelo is applied to other items as a negotiation model.
Practical information summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Items | Green-skinned pomelo (buoi da xanh, green-skinned pomelo) |
| USDA authorization | October 4, 2022 (Federal Register notice) |
| First shipment to the U.S. | November 28, 2022 (Ben Tre province → air freight) |
| Total pomelo export value, Q1 2025 | US$17.5 million (+60.6% year on year) |
| Main growing regions | Ben Tre province (8,000 ha), Vinh Long province (8,619 ha), Dong Nai province (5,426 ha) |
| U.S. import route | Asian supermarkets such as H Mart, Whole Foods and 99 Ranch |
| Treatment step | Irradiation (X-ray/electron beam) required |
| Farmer income | VND 300–500 million/ha (about JPY 1.76–2.94 million) |
| Japanese market | Opened to import since 2017; additional supply stabilization expected |
Summary
U.S. exports of green-skinned pomelo have, more than three years on from the October 2022 USDA authorization and the first shipment in November of that year, completely shifted from authorization news to a "practical expansion phase". What the figure of US$17.5 million in total pomelo export value in Q1 2025 (+60.6% year on year) shows is the result of irradiation-treatment capacity and cold-chain buildout accumulating on top of a production base of 8,000 ha in Ben Tre province and 8,619 ha in Vinh Long province. For Japan's produce buyers and OEM makers too, Vietnamese pomelo—whose quality standards and traceability have been lifted by expanded U.S.-bound shipments—gains value as a domestic-substitute citrus available year-round. Together with the U.S. negotiations over frozen durian, passion fruit and coconut, the Mekong Delta's U.S.-export map will thicken further through 2026–2027.
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Sources
- Federal Register | Notice of Decision to Authorize the Importation of Pummelo From Vietnam Into the United States (October 4, 2022)
- USDA-APHIS｜APHIS Authorizes the Importation of Fresh Pummelo Fruit from Vietnam into the United States
- VagroFood｜Vietnamese Green-Skinned Pomelo Officially Licensed to Export to the US
- Vietnam+｜Vietnam to export first batch of fresh pomelo to US
