Aussie peaches, nectarines head to Vietnam

Australian peaches and nectarines will soon be making their way back into Vietnam. Growers lost access to the market 10 years ago when Vietnamese authorities decided a phytosanitary protocol was needed to prevent pests and diseases entering the country. Summerfruit Export Development Alliance Chair, Ian McAlister, said the reopening of the market was a good development for the industry. “I anticipate with the right promotion it could be a significant destination for us,” Mr McAlister said. While the protocols between the Australian and Vietnamese governments have been signed off, Mr McAlister says nectarines and peaches cannot be dispatched until the specifics of the work plan are finalised. “There could be a small amount of trade in March and April, but by the looks of it, I think we’ll probably start with serious volume in November and December,” he said. Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud says his department is working with the industry to enable trial exports in the coming months. “Vietnam is a priority market for our premium produce and we are pleased that the completion of technical negotiations will mean our peaches and nectarines will be able to access this valuable market,” he said. While Mr Littleproud said the $85.9 million Agri-Business Expansion Initiative supported the department’s efforts to accelerate market access outcomes in Vietnam, industry representatives said it could have been implemented faster if face-to-face discussions had been able to go ahead. There had been plans to finalise the protocols to resume trade at a meeting in April 2020 before technical representatives from Vietnam visited Australia to carry out audits. But instead, discussions were conducted via video conferencing and the negotiation process culminated in a virtual visit in January 2022 between the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) and Vietnam, enabling a protocol to be agreed. Chair of Summerfruit Australia Limited, Andrew Finlay, welcomed the achievement which has been some five years in the making. “I would like to thank all those who have played a part in achieving this market access, and who worked hard to negotiate a set of protocols agreed to by both countries,” Mr Finlay said. “After the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to face-to-face meetings, negotiations continued, via video conference and the Australian agriculture counsellor based in Vietnam. “As part of the process we worked with DAWE and a number of growers, packers, exporters and treatment facilities to provide a ‘virtual visit’ for the authorities from Vietnam.” The new protocol includes a systems approach for managing a number of pests; cold treatment for fruit fly; and irradiation as an end-point treatment. Each of these measures can be used alone or in combination, such as a systems approach together with cold treatment, or a systems approach and irradiation at a set level. Orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities must be accredited to ship to Vietnam under the protocol.

Peachy keen: Peaches and nectarines will be sent to Vietnam after the successful negotiation of export protocols.

Click or scan the QR code to read the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy and Implementation Plan.

Deepening our relationship

The Australian Government has published a roadmap to boosting trade and investment ties with Vietnam. According to Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Dan Tehan, the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy will unlock mutually beneficial opportunities and boost the countries’ trade and investment relationship, especially in key areas such as education, resources, agriculture, manufacturing and digital economy. “Australia and Vietnam have complementary economies - we are partners more than competitors. Our supply chains are becoming more closely entwined, meaning together we are exporting to markets around the world,” Mr Tehan said. In endorsing the strategy, Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment, H.E. Nguyen Chi Dung, noted, “Success in achieving the common objectives of the strategy will further enhance the economic position of Vietnam and Australia, contributing to the safety, security and shared prosperity of the AsiaPacific region.”