Thien, a farmer in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, said traders are buying the fruit for just VND100,000 at the farm gate, a 33% decrease from last month.
“This price only yields minimal profits, and so I decided to hold on to my harvest and wait for better prices.”
Hoang, another farmer in the same province, said prices of the Ri 6 variety have similarly fallen to around VND132,000 per kilogram.
“We (farmers) are worried about losses with such a steep drop.”
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Durians at an orchard in the Mekong Delta. Photo by Manh Khuong |
The province currently has 6,000 hectares under durian, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province’s Cai Be District.
Only 40% of orchards have flowered during the off-season, which started last month, due to poor weather, the department said.
This has led to a 30% decline in supply from the same period last year, it noted.
The sharp decline in prices despite the low supply is attributed to the influence of Thailand and China, according to experts.
Thanh, a trader in Tien Giang, said some Thai durian is still available in the market and competing with Vietnamese products, whose reputation and competitiveness took a hit after some shipments were returned from China earlier this year due to heavy-metal contamination.
Manh Khuong, a merchant in Can Tho City, said major importers in China have collectively reduced their purchase prices, causing prices to drop in Vietnam.
In response, many farmers are holding on to stocks and waiting for prices to rebound, leading to a lack of supply of durian.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said durian exports are expected to be worth only $3.2 billion this year, well short of the $3.5 billion target.
