Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department and South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency have reportedly “agreed on criteria and requirements” to import Vietnamese grapefruit, Voice of Vietnam reported.

Nguyen Quang Hieu, deputy director of the Plant Protection Department, said both nations have reached an understanding, with the following negotiations expected to continue throughout July.

With 50 million potential consumers, South Korea represents an attractive market for the Vietnamese fruit sector, Hieu said.

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“Local businesses should gain greater insights into the latest regulations set by the Korean side and abide by requirements in terms of growing areas and packaging facilities in order to make further inroads into the market”, the official added.

There are currently 260,449 acres dedicated to grapefruit cultivation in Vietnam, yielding approximately 900,000 tons yearly. The Asian country is expected to gain access for grapefruit to be exported to the Australian market sometime this year.