Lam Dong Emerges as a Key Driver of Vietnam’s Fruit Export Boom in Europe
Vietnam’s fruit exports to the European Union are gaining strong momentum in 2026, with passion fruit and strawberries emerging as standout performers. At the center of this shift is Lam Dong Province—one of the country’s leading highland agricultural hubs—now positioning itself as a strategic supplier for high-value, export-oriented produce.
EU Demand Rebounds, Opening Space for High-Value Fruits
In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to the EU reached approximately $121 million, up 33% year-on-year. The recovery highlights growing demand in one of the world’s most stringent markets, particularly for processed and premium fruit products.
Within this trend, passion fruit has taken the lead, generating $30.5 million in export value—up 73%—and accounting for more than a quarter of total shipments. Strawberries, while smaller in scale, posted exceptional growth, signaling rising European interest in niche, high-quality produce.
Lam Dong: Strategic Hub for Passion Fruit Production
Lam Dong has rapidly emerged as one of Vietnam’s leading passion fruit production centers, benefiting from its temperate climate, fertile basalt soil, and wider adoption of high-tech agriculture.
Local producers have increasingly shifted toward controlled cultivation models, including greenhouse systems and standardized farming processes aligned with international certifications. This transformation enables consistent quality, traceability, and suitability for processing—key requirements for EU markets.
The province’s strength lies not only in raw production but also in its growing processing capacity. Passion fruit is widely used in juices, concentrates, and food ingredients, aligning closely with European consumption patterns.
As a result, Lam Dong is well-positioned to anchor Vietnam’s ambition to scale up exports of processed fruit products, which already account for roughly two-thirds of shipments to Europe.
Strawberries: From Local Specialty to Export Contender
In recent years, Lam Dong has seen significant investment in advanced cultivation techniques, including hydroponics and greenhouse farming, helping improve both yield and quality. These upgrades have enabled Lam Dong strawberries to meet increasingly strict international standards.
Export figures reflect this shift, with strawberries posting explosive growth, albeit from a low base. However, scaling remains constrained by logistics, as fresh strawberries depend heavily on air freight, raising costs and limiting competitiveness.
Despite these challenges, the segment holds strong long-term potential, particularly if cold-chain logistics and post-harvest technologies are further developed.
A New Export Growth Engine
In the context of global market volatility, Lam Dong’s emergence as a hub for high-value fruit production highlights its strategic role in Vietnam’s agricultural transformation.
Passion fruit, with its strong processing demand, is poised to become a flagship export, while strawberries represent a promising premium segment with room for growth.
Together, these products not only diversify Vietnam’s export portfolio but also reinforce a shift toward sustainable, high-quality agriculture—positioning Lam Dong as a critical link in the country’s integration into global food supply chains.