VIETNAM

Feedback from the Trade on Their Plans and Interest in the USA Pear Season:

During trade visits, USA Pears were unavailable in market. Importers said the price of USA pears remained too high to be profitable for them, so they will not continue importing this season.

Expectations for Any Freight or Logistics Challenges:

Nothing new or specific at this time.

Opportunities in Your Market for Specific Varieties, Sizes, and Grades:

None for the moment.

Update on the Competition in the Market:

After the Lunar New Year, the fruit market slowed down. The modern market in Vietnam continues to be dominated by Chinese pears, which are flooding the market in large volumes. Chinese pears are the biggest competitor of Korean pears and South African pears in the market. Chinese pears are selling well at low prices and are of good quality. Consumers are tightening their belts, and tend to buying lower-priced products. Korean pears are available in the market in small volumes. The distribution of Korean pears is mainly in some supermarkets and high-end fruit shops. Korean pears are selling slowly because of competition from cheap Chinese pears. South African pears also continued to be present in some major fruit stores and supermarkets in smaller quantities.

Political or Economic Issues Impacting Imports, Retail, or Consumer Behavior:

The Vietnamese government is determined to reform the government apparatus, merge ministries, strengthen digital management to streamline and promote economic growth, create a stable and healthy investment environment, and increase income to improve people's lives. The resolution adjusts a number of key targets, including: Gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 8% or more, GDP scale in 2025 reaching over 500 billion USD, GDP per capita over 5,000 USD, and average consumer price index (CPI) growth rate of about 4.5-5%.

Other Brief Comments:

None for the moment.