Vietnamese mangosteen. Photo by Bich Hoang
Vietnamese mangosteen is in high demand despite being 50% more expensive than Thai imports since it is sweeter and more fragrant.
In HCMC, vendors are selling the highest quality fruit at prices starting from VND120,000.
Thai imports, despite dominating the market in volume terms, fetch only VND90,000–100,000.
Lan Anh, a vendor in Binh Thanh District, said many people have made pre-orders in recent weeks for local varieties though the main harvest season only starts next month after being delayed this year.
The delay and reduced yields have hit prospective supply, driving up prices.
Farmers in key growing provinces Binh Duong and Dong Nai said many orchards remain unripe, and it would take another two weeks for picking to start.
Some growers expect a 40–70% drop in yields from last year due to unfavorable weather.
