Siebe van Wijk, Managing Director of The Fruit Republic, has been invited to speak at the Fruitnet Tropicals Congress in Barcelona on 30 June. This leading international event serves as a key meeting point for the global tropical fruit industry. Over the course of two days, more than 250 delegates and 20 speakers from 25 countries came together to explore the latest market opportunities in the tropical fruit category and share insights and experiences.
This year marks the first time that the Vietnamese exotics sector will be prominently showcased at this important event. During his presentation, Siebe highlighted the rapid rise of Vietnam’s fruit sector, which exported an impressive US$3.8 billion worth of tropical fruit in 2024. Approximately 90% of these exports were destined for China, with key products including durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, bananas, and mangoes.
However, as past disruptions at the Chinese–Vietnamese border have shown, such heavy reliance on a single market carries significant risks. In his presentation, Siebe will explored the reasons behind Vietnam’s strong focus on China and outline the opportunities for diversification into other international markets.
Using The Fruit Republic as a case study, he demonstrated how, over the past 17 years, the company has worked passionately to develop markets for premium Vietnamese exotic fruits across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia.
Siebe’s presentation also showcased the SUCCEEDS project, through which The Fruit Republic and its partners are connecting Mekong Delta smallholder citrus producers to global market value chains.
For more information about the event, visit:
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