Vietnamese Pomelo Expands Export Markets

Vietnamese pomelo products, with an impressive annual output of nearly 1 million tonnes, are standing at a historic turning point. The simultaneous official licensing for fresh pomelo imports by two of the world's most demanding markets, Australia and South Korea, has opened a "golden gate" for Vietnamese agricultural products.

This is not only good news for export revenue but also a fundamental solution to address the situation of "domestic surplus, export shortage" for famous pomelo varieties like Da Xanh, Nam Roi, and Dien.

Vietnamese Pomelo Overcomes Australia’s Strict Quarantine Barriers

April and May 2025 marked an important milestone when the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) issued its final report, confirming that Vietnamese pomelos are eligible for import.

However, to conquer this market, Vietnamese pomelos must strictly comply with the management of 19 target quarantine pests, including species such as Asian citrus psyllid, Oriental fruit fly, mealybugs, and red mites.

To meet Australia's stringent standards, growing regions and exporting enterprises must implement a chain of pest control measures and phytosanitary procedures. Specifically, growing areas must be issued codes and undergo strict inspection before export. Most importantly is the application of the System Approach—a comprehensive set of measures from the farm to post-harvest—which is specially required to control citrus canker disease. Simultaneously, pomelos must be compulsorily treated with irradiation or Methyl bromide to eliminate pests. Australia’s opening of the market not only demands improved cultivation techniques but also encourages the entire Vietnamese pomelo value chain to upgrade procedures to meet international biosecurity standards.

South Korea Officially Licenses Pomelo Imports

In parallel with Australia, the South Korean market, with a population of 50 million, also officially licensed the import of Vietnamese pomelo, making it the third fresh fruit (after dragon fruit and mango) allowed for official export to the country. The negotiation process, which began in 2018, concluded with technical agreement in April 2024. To ensure quality and safety, South Korea’s quarantine requirements are very strict: Specifically, growing areas must be tightly registered; pomelos must undergo Heat Treatment; and competent authorities will conduct visual inspections of 2% of cartons or 600 fruits per shipment to detect harmful insects.

Vision 2025: Enhancing Quality and Value

Over the past 5 years, the pomelo growing area in Vietnam has doubled, reaching over 100,000 hectares, with key regions being the Mekong Delta (famous for Da Xanh, Nam Roi pomelos) and the Northern region (with Dien, Tan Lac pomelos). Although Vietnamese pomelos are present in 13 major markets such as the US, Canada, EU, and Japan, the actual export volume remains modest. The biggest current opportunity is to leverage the participation of new markets like Australia and South Korea to increase export turnover, projected to raise the total number of importing countries to 14. This development will promote standardized production, compelling the pomelo industry to focus on developing GlobalGAP-certified growing regions, investing in preservation technology, and building sustainable value chains from farmers to businesses.

This is the golden moment for Vietnamese pomelo to affirm its position and quality on the global agricultural map.