Plum market as trade deal reached with Vietnam

Horticulture producers say Vietnam is a plum market for their produce, as the Albanese government confirmed the reopening of the Southeast Asian market. After two years of negotiations between the Australian and Vietnamese governments, market access has now been granted for Aussie plums with a trade agreement reached in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Monday. The Albanese government said the deal is part of a two-way agricultural market access agreement that provides Australian plums to Vietnam and Vietnamese passionfruit to Australia. Trevor Ranford, head of the peak industry body for stonefruit growers Summerfruit Australia, described the agreement as "significant". "We're anticipating that we will get substantial growth over a number of years, and that Vietnam will become potentially the number two market behind China," Mr Ranford told AAP from Hanoi, after the agreement was reached. "The more markets that we can open up and get access to the better, to help the industry further develop and expand." Australia currently exports around 20,000 tonnes of stonefruit each season, around a sixth of the total grown, mostly to Asian markets, with China the largest buyer. Vietnam began accepting peaches and nectarines from Australia again in 2022, with about 140 tonnes exported to the Southeast Asian nation in 2023. "It will take us time ... but expectations are that we can get to 100 tonne (of plums exported) ... in the next season which runs from November to April," Mr Ranford said. Vietnam had previously been a big stonefruit export market but the introduction of pest controls by Hanoi in 2014 had limited access for Australian producers, he said. Government data shows Australia's agriculture, fisheries and forestry exports to Vietnam were worth $3.7 billion in 2023-24, reflecting strong ties between the nations, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said. "Accelerating mutual market access outcomes is a reflection of Australia and Vietnam's strong bilateral relationship and drive to support our agriculture industries to capitalise on export opportunities," Ms Collins said. The Albanese government said the next pairing on the trade agenda is Australian blueberries and Vietnamese pomelos, with negotiations well under way.