Importing avocado from Vietnam into Russia and the EAEU
Share
Short answer. Each lot of Vietnamese avocado for Russia travels with a phytosanitary certificate, a certificate of origin form EAV and a Russian + English carton label. The declaration of conformity and customs clearance are the importer's side. Sea transit from Cat Lai to Vladivostok is 10–14 days; trial lots fly in 1–3 days.
Which documents come with each lot?
| Document | Detail |
|---|---|
| Phytosanitary certificate | Issued for each lot by the Plant Protection Department of Vietnam; declares the lot free of the fruit flies Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis capitata |
| Certificate of origin form EAV | Supports the preferential duty under the Vietnam–EAEU free trade agreement |
| Commercial invoice, packing list, B/L or AWB | Standard shipping documents |
| Carton label | Russian + English, printed in Vietnam to your layout |
| Pesticide residue report | From an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory, against TR CU 021/2011, with the first lot |
| Reefer temperature setting record and lot code | For traceability and claims |
What stays on the importer's side?
The EAEU declaration of conformity and customs clearance are the importer's responsibility. Your customs broker confirms the duty rate for HS 0804 40 on the day of clearance; form EAV is the document that supports the preference. The free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam was signed on 29 May 2015 and entered into force on 5 October 2016.
Does Russia require GlobalGAP or growing-area codes?
No. Russia does not require growing-area codes, packing-house codes or GlobalGAP for avocado. For transparency: our orchards are not GlobalGAP-certified yet. We check every lot at packing for dry matter, firmness, one size per carton and rot, and send photos of every lot before shipment.
Which standard is the fruit packed to?
Class I under GOST 34270-2017 («первый сорт»): skin defects of at most 4 cm² per fruit and not into the flesh, and at most 10 % Class II fruit per carton. Sizes are code 12 (300–371 g) and code 10 (364–462 g), with code 8 on request. The carton is the 4 kg single-layer tray type: 5,520 cartons per 40' reefer, about 22 t net. Counts and pallet figures are in avocado cartons and container loading.
Sea or air: which route works?
| Route | Transit (indicative) | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Lai to Vladivostok by reefer | 10–14 days, direct weekly service | Regular shipments |
| Ho Chi Minh City or Cam Ranh to Moscow or Vladivostok by air | 1–3 days | Trial lots of 100–300 kg |
Storage life is about 3 weeks from packing to your warehouse on the Vladivostok route. We confirm it with a 21-day storage test on your trial lot before sea shipments are planned, and we do not quote a storage life for a route we have not tested. For another Russian port, send us the port and we check the transit time against that limit first.
Which avocado does the Russian market buy?
Mostly green-skin fruit. An importer supplying Russian retailers told FreshPlaza in July 2026 that most Russian demand is for green-skin avocado, with Hass newer to the market. Booth 7 is a green-skin variety offered from September to November; Hass is not available from Vietnam in export volume. More in green-skin avocado or Hass.
How does a first order work?
- Send seven points through the avocado quotation form: variety, size code, carton, quantity, destination, Incoterm and shipping week.
- We reply within 1 business day and send a firm quotation within 2 business days, valid for 7 days.
- The first lot is 100–300 kg by air, so you can check the fruit.
- After the 21-day storage test, reefer shipments follow: FOB Cat Lai as standard, CFR or CIF Vladivostok on request.
Payment for Russia and the EAEU is 100 % by T/T: before release of the shipping documents for sea lots, and before the flight for the air trial lot.
Frequently asked questions
Is the fruit treated after harvest?
No chemical treatment is used on Russia lots. 1-MCP is applied only when agreed in writing with the buyer.
Which months can you ship?
Booth 7 from September to November and 034 from May to August; see the season calendar.
What should the reefer be set to?
7 °C for Booth 7, at 90–95 % relative humidity, with no ethylene-producing cargo in the same container.
How is the price quoted?
In USD per kg, with USD per carton alongside; see how the wholesale price is built.
The full specification is on the fresh avocado product page. Other Vietnamese fruit for this market is listed on our Russia page.
Sources
- Eurasian Economic Commission, free trade agreement with Vietnam
- FreshPlaza, 3 July 2026, avocado demand in Russia
Last reviewed 12 November 2026 by VIET FARM EXPORT COMPANY LIMITED, Ho Chi Minh City. Figures without a source link come from our avocado specification; they are indicative and confirmed with each quotation.