Vietnam's fruit and vegetable export turnover hit over 1.8 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months of this year, up 32.9 percent from the same period last year, Vietnam News Agency reported Wednesday, citing the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

China, South Korea, the United States and Thailand were Vietnam's biggest fruit and vegetable importers during the cited period.

In April alone, the exports are estimated to reach about 539.8 million dollars, an increase of nearly 14.9 percent over the previous month, and 37.8 percent from a year earlier, said the report.

The Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has expected fruit and vegetable exports, including durian, to rise even more this year because more codes of growing areas and packaging facilities could be certified, creating favorable conditions for export.

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has forecast that the fruit and vegetable industry will continue to set new records this year with an estimated export turnover of 6 billion to 6.5 billion dollars, an increase of 15-20 percent compared to last year.

According to the ministry, the Southeast Asian country saw a record 5.69 billion dollars generated from fruit and vegetable exports last year, up over 70 percent year on year.