CAN THO – Vietnam’s second irradiation company, Toan Phat Irradiation Company Limited, has irradiated its first shipment of exports to the U.S.
On October 10, The Saigon Times reached out to Vuong Dinh Quynh Hieu, director of Toan Phat Irradiation Company Limited, located in Long An Province, about the export shipment of irradicated pomelos to the U.S.
He said the company would give businesses seeking to export fruits more options regarding irradiation treatment.
Nguyen Dinh Tung, director of Vina T&T Import-Export Company, said that one irradiation company could not meet the needs of exporters.
Irradiation treatment helps facilitate exportation, optimize prices and lengthen the preservation of fruit.
The first irradiated exports of the company included six tons of mango and six tons of dragon fruit, first inspected by the U.S. Animals and Plant Health Inspection Service, in terms of shipment records, packing specifications and a random selection of products in the shipment to cut out for inspection.
The service is now offered at a rate starting from US$0.45-0.65 per kilogram.
According to the director of Vina T&T Import-Export Company, the U.S. is a potential buyer of Vietnam. “In 2008, two containers of dragon fruit were exported to the U.S. every week; now, the export items include mangoes, longans, star apples, rambutan and grapefruits,” said Tung.
The report of the General Department of Vietnam Customs shows that in the first eight months of this year, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports brought in nearly US$2.2 billion.
Among them, exports to the U.S. reached US$179 million, up 19.1% year-over-year, and accounted for 8.16% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export value.
