Cherries and apples overflow onto Vietnam's shelves: the US$1.6 billion in imports opens a business opportunity

The shelves of Vietnamese supermarkets have visibly changed over the past six months. US- and Chilean-grown cherries, New Zealand kiwifruit and imported apples — once premium gift items — have begun to appear on general sales floors and e-commerce at lower prices. Vietnam's fruit and vegetable imports in the first half of 2026 reached about US$1.6 billion, up nearly 30% year on year — a pace far exceeding export growth (up 14% in value terms). While domestic production areas see prices fall to rock bottom in bumper years, imported fruit has taken the lead role at the storefront — and onto this two-layer structure of Vietnamese fruit and vegetables, with rock-bottom prices at the source and high prices at the store, a new variable, imports, has been added. Seen from the standpoint of those involved in Japanese sourcing and distribution, this is both an increase in competition and, at the same time, a widening of the room for Japanese fruit to break in.

Imports are growing at a pace that overtakes exports

The starting point was the sharp expansion of fruit and vegetable imports reported by a Vietnamese domestic newspaper. First-half imports were about US$1.6 billion, up roughly 30% year on year. On a quarterly basis too, the first quarter was about US$796 million (up 32% year on year), and the January–May cumulative total was about US$1.3 billion (up 31%), with high growth continuing.

The lineup of supplier countries has also shifted. The largest supplier is China, with January–May imports of about US$500 million, a share of about 39% for the period, up 49% from a year earlier. Second is the United States with a share of just under 30%, piling up US$213.7 million in the first quarter alone (up 29% year on year). Standing out for growth rates are Thailand (up 157%), India (up 90%) and Australia (up 66%), with the supply network rapidly diversifying across many countries. At fruit and vegetable shops in Ho Chi Minh City, the share of imported goods, once about 20% of sales, has risen to 30–40%, and scenes have emerged of market stall owners saying 'half of what we have on display is imported.'

The real cause of the price drop is a combination of tariffs and increased supply

Behind imported fruit stepping out of the 'premium' bracket is a clear price factor. In 2025 Vietnam cut the import tariff on US cherries from 10% to 5% and on apples from 8% to 5%. The reduced tariff was reflected in retail prices, widening the pool of buyers to layers who had previously found it hard to reach.

Increased supply on the supplier side also overlapped. Chilean cherries saw a record bumper harvest and fell in price worldwide, with the wholesale price in the Vietnamese market dropping to around US$3.82 per kg. A three-tier price band formed — US- and Australian-grown at the top, New Zealand-grown in the middle, and Chilean-grown the most affordable — letting consumers choose by origin according to their budget. Cherry imports alone came to about US$28 million in January–May, up 43% year on year, showing a standout rise as an item too.

The spread of imports in numbers

The moves of the main supplier countries and items are laid out with the figures that could be confirmed.

Actual storefront prices also bear this out. Cherries run around 150,000 dong for 500g (about ¥900, at 10,000 dong ≒ ¥60), Chilean-grown 120,000–130,000 dong per kg, and imported pears 80,000–90,000 dong per kg. That imported goods have come down from an 'occasional luxury' to an everyday option can be read from the prices as well.

The change as told by retail and distribution on the ground

This trend is clearly expressed in the words of local retail and distribution players.

• Kingfoodmart reports that sales of imported fruit grew by double digits in six months, with price drops of 5–15% in kiwifruit, apples and grapes.
• At the premium imported-food chain Annam Gourmet, year-on-year figures rose even for gift-oriented items, with apples up 26%, blueberries up 23% and cherries up 20%.
• Agricultural experts point out that the surge in imported fruit is 'putting competitive pressure especially on mid-priced domestic products,' analyzing that the domestic side will be tested on differentiation through quality and safety.

Vietnam's retailers are responding to this pressure with a move to lock in VietGAP- and OCOP-certified local produce directly from cooperatives. It is a structure in which they seek to carve out a division from imported goods through proof of origin and quality assurance.

Three implications Japanese sourcing and distribution should read

This import boom does not end as a simple 'rise in competition' for Japanese fruit buyers and importers. There are three points to decipher.

First, That Vietnam is growing into a powerful 'import market' at the same time as being an 'exporter' is one fact. In a country of 100 million people, the middle class's disposable income is rising, and the sales floor for imported fruit has expanded from 20% to 30–40%. This means that a demand base for Japanese apples, pears and grapes is emerging, backed by solid figures. The real example of a high-end store in Hanoi selling Japanese Fuji apples at around 200,000 dong (about ¥1,200) each at the storefront and capturing gift demand shows that there is room to be chosen for quality even at a high price.

Second, That the positioning of competitors is firming up by price band is the second point. In a market where a three-tier structure has settled — Chilean-grown the cheapest, New Zealand-grown in the middle, US- and Australian-grown at the top — it becomes rational for Japanese produce to aim for the gift and high-quality band 'above that.' Rather than being dragged into a discount war, a sales approach that puts forward quality differences explainable as a production area — the balance of sugar and acidity, the uniformity of appearance — works. The flow of Tochigi strawberries, Fukushima peaches and Shizuoka melons appearing on high-end store shelves is evidence that the entry point has already opened.

Third, That the oversupply in Vietnamese production areas is also a buying opportunity for Japanese procurement is the viewpoint. Behind imported goods encroaching on the mid-price band, Vietnamese domestic watermelon and durian are repeating phases in which tighter Chinese inspection and the like push the domestic market into oversupply and source-area prices crash, over and over. For Japanese buyers who want to procure domestic fruit cheaply as processing raw material or for food-service use, this price trough becomes a good chance for sourcing negotiations. From both the import and domestic sides, Vietnam is strengthening its character as both a 'place to sell to' and a 'place to buy from.'

Practical notes on Japanese fruit for the Vietnam market

Here we lay out the confirmed clearance status for bringing Japanese fruit into Vietnam.

In every case, fresh produce is subject to phytosanitary quarantine and pest risk analysis before import, and food safety falls under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The latest list of covered items and procedures should always be confirmed against primary sources such as JETRO or the plant protection station before exporting.

Conclusion — with supply in motion, prepare on both fronts

The fact that Vietnam's fruit and vegetable imports grew to about US$1.6 billion, up 30%, in the first half shows that the country's dining table is surely changing. Imported cherries and apples have come down to everyday goods, and a market has emerged in which production areas divide up by price band. What Japanese sourcing and distribution should check next is three points. First, how to differentiate and sell Japanese apples, pears and grapes in the high-quality band. Second, how to buy Vietnamese fruit that has hit rock-bottom prices through oversupply cheaply as raw material for processing and food-service use. Third, to follow the import statistics and tariff moves updated each quarter and not miss the turning points of demand and price. In a market where the places to sell and to buy are growing at the same time, looking at only one side means missing opportunities. Start by assessing where in these three price tiers your own handled items can be placed.

Sources

• Trái cây ngoại ồ ạt về Việt Nam, giá rẻ bất ngờ（Dân trí）
• Vietnam’s Fruit and Vegetable Imports Surge Amid Growing Demand（Produce Report）
• Sharp rise in Vietnamese produce imports（Fruitnet）
• Chilean cherries in Vietnam fall to US$3.82/kg（FreshPlaza）
• Import regulations and import procedures for fruit and vegetables (Vietnam) (JETRO)