Banana was another major export, with shipments amounting to $232 million, up 16% year-on-year.

At $409 per ton on average, it was much cheaper than products from the Philippines and Ecuador, which cost $589 and $757.

This makes Vietnamese bananas popular with Chinese importers, especially in provinces near the border such as Guangxi and Guangdong, where consumers prefer fresh and affordable products of good quality.

China’s imports of fruits and vegetables were worth nearly $20.3 billion in the first nine months.

Thailand was the biggest supplier, accounting for $6.7 billion, up 10% year-on-year and with a 33% market share.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association, said exporters benefit from proximity to China, which results in lower transportation time and costs.

A representative of an exporter in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, a major durian producer, said this helps maintain fruit freshness and quality and keep shipping costs at half of what their Thai counterparts spend.

Free trade agreements such as ASEAN-China, RCEP and bilateral quarantine protocols also facilitate exports.