Fruit prices plunge across Mekong Delta

Prices for a range of fruits in Mekong Delta dropped sharply, with jackfruit falling to as low as VND 2,000-3,000 per kilogram. Sluggish exports and technical barriers are constraining market access.

Amid rising costs for fuel, fertilizers, and crop protection chemicals, the steep decline in fruit prices is putting orchard growers under significant pressure. In Dong Thap province, prices of key fruits such as durian, jackfruit, and dragon fruit have fallen markedly due to sluggish exports and weak domestic consumption.

Thai early-season jackfruit has hit its lowest level, selling for just VND 2,000-3,000 per kilogram, while red-flesh jackfruit ranges from VND 5,000-7,000 per kilogram. At these prices, growers are losing more than VND 5,000 per kilogram, and lower-quality fruit is not being purchased.

Despite being in the off-season, dragon fruit is priced at only VND 7,000-13,000 per kilogram. Notably, durian, after a period of rapid price increases, has also dropped sharply.

At orchards, Grade 1 Ri6 durian is now priced at VND 40,000-45,000 per kilogram, down about VND 20,000 from the previous month. Monthong durian is selling for VND 65,000-70,000 per kilogram, down from more than VND 80,000.

Dong Thap currently has around 134,000 hectares of fruit cultivation, the largest in the country, including approximately 26,000 hectares of durian, 15,000 hectares of jackfruit, and 10,000 hectares of dragon fruit.

According to authorities, slow exports and technical barriers in importing markets are creating bottlenecks for several fruit categories, directly impacting farmers’ incomes.

*1 USD = 26,338.50 VND (Source: Vietcombank)

Minh Dam