Cavendish banana grades from Vietnam: Premium, Grade A and Grade B
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Short answer. Vietnamese Cavendish banana is offered in three grades. Premium has fingers of at least 20 cm, Grade A at least 18 cm and Grade B at least 14 cm, each with its own diameter range and skin-defect limit. All grades ship all green, at colour stage 1, in 13 kg cartons from Cat Lai Port, Ho Chi Minh City.
What are the three grades?
| Grade | Finger length | Diameter | Skin defects | Certification | Typical buyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium (indicative) | ≥ 20 cm | 39–46 mm | ≤ 2 cm² per finger, no scars | GlobalG.A.P. on request: from a certified farm, GGN shown before the contract | Supermarkets: UAE, Korea, EU |
| Grade A | ≥ 18 cm | 36–46 mm | ≤ 4 cm² per finger | GlobalG.A.P. where the farm holds it | Wholesalers: Middle East, Malaysia |
| Grade B (indicative) | ≥ 14 cm | 30–36 mm | ≤ 8 cm², dry scars | Not required | Wholesale markets |
Premium and Grade B figures are indicative and confirmed on the quotation. VIET FARM EXPORT itself does not hold GlobalG.A.P. or organic certification; where a grade calls for GlobalG.A.P., the certificate belongs to the farm.
What is the minimum standard?
Our specification starts from Codex CXS 205-1997: finger length of at least 14 cm, diameter of at least 27 mm, and hands or clusters of at least 4 fingers, with a tolerance of 5 % in Extra class and 10 % in Class I and II. EU Regulation 1333/2011 also requires green, unripe fruit.
Which variety is it?
Tissue-culture Cavendish, Musa acuminata (AAA): Grand Nain, the main clone in southern Vietnam, and Williams. The HS code is 0803.90.20 in Vietnam and 080390 at six digits.
How ripe is the fruit at shipping?
All green, colour stage 1 on the Von Loesecke scale. We cut at harvest stage 1 for voyages over 14 days (Middle East, EU) and at stage 2 for voyages of 14 days or less (Malaysia, China). Green fruit is still starch, so it reads 2–5 °Brix at shipping and 18–22 °Brix when ripe, at colour stage 6–7.
Where and when is it grown?
Mainly in South-East Vietnam: Dong Nai (Trang Bom, Thong Nhat, Xuan Loc, Dinh Quan), with about 21,000 ha of banana and about 80 % exported, plus Tay Ninh and Binh Duong. Also Gia Lai and Dak Lak in the Central Highlands, and Long An and Tien Giang. Fruit is harvested year-round. The main season runs from September to May, with a peak from February to April; supply is tighter from June to August. Every lot carries a registered growing-area code (PUC) and packing-house code (PHC).
Frequently asked questions
Which grade do Middle East wholesalers usually take?
Grade A. Premium is the supermarket grade.
Can I order clusters instead of whole hands?
Yes. Whole hands are standard; clusters of 4–8 fingers are packed on request.
Is there a minimum order?
No. Samples start from one carton; the best pricing starts from one 40' reefer of 1,540 cartons.
Do you ship ripe fruit?
No. Bananas ship green and are ripened at destination; a ripening sheet comes with every first shipment.
Packing is covered in banana cartons and container loading, and reefer settings in shipping green bananas. The full specification is on the Cavendish banana product page; for a price, use the banana quotation form.
Sources
Last reviewed 12 November 2026 by VIET FARM EXPORT COMPANY LIMITED, Ho Chi Minh City. Figures come from our banana specification; they are indicative and confirmed with each quotation.