Early season avocado prices doubled

Each kilogram of early-season avocado in the garden is being purchased by traders at 22,000-40,000 VND per kilogram (depending on the type), double the price compared to the same period last year.

This year’s harvest season, Ms. Hien in Lam Dong was excited when the price of 034 avocado doubled compared to the same period last year, reaching 40,000 VND per kg. With this price, her garden is expected to earn about 100 million VND, with a net profit of 60 million VND after deducting expenses.

In Kon Tum , Ms. Loan's family also earned tens of millions of dong from growing avocado thanks to the selling price reaching 22,000 dong per kilogram, much higher than the 10,000-11,000 dong in the same period last year and only 4,000-6,000 dong in the middle of the season.

The sharp increase in farm gate avocado prices has led to a rise in retail prices in Ho Chi Minh City. Traditional stores and markets sell avocados for VND50,000-70,000 per kilogram, while at high-end supermarkets, 034 avocados cost up to VND109,000.

Consumers choose avocados at Da Lat Avocado Week at MM Mega Market in An Phu (Thu Duc). Photo: Thi Ha

Ms. Hoang Anh, owner of a fruit shop on Thong Nhat Street (Go Vap), said that this year, avocado prices are much higher than many other fruits such as mango, orange, and grapefruit. "The amount of imported goods this year has decreased by 50% due to the lack of abundant supply at the beginning of the season," Ms. Hoang Anh shared.

Mr. Dang Minh Tien, an avocado supplier in Lam Dong, said avocado prices are at their highest level since 2020. This is also the year farmers made a profit again after 5 years of sluggish market and falling prices.

Explaining the reason for the increase in avocado prices, Mr. Tien said that in addition to the scarcity of supplies at the beginning of the season, this year's productivity has decreased sharply due to the impact of unusual weather. When avocados bloom, the cold air lasts for a long time, causing the fruit set rate to be low. In addition, four consecutive years of plummeting avocado prices have forced many households to cut down trees and switch to other varieties.

MM Mega Market representative also said that the price of avocados purchased from suppliers this year is higher. This is a good sign, helping farmers make a good profit. To support consumers in the context of tight spending, the supermarket coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province to launch the Avocado Promotion Week. Accordingly, wax avocados and booth avocados are discounted by 50%, down to 35,000 VND per kg and 55,000 VND per kg for 034 avocados.

In addition, the supermarket also launched the "Green Tick" program - the abbreviation of the "Goods Quality Control Program in Ho Chi Minh City" program. Accordingly, all avocado products and many other quality agricultural products will be labeled "Green Tick of Responsibility", ensuring safety and no chemicals.

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province said that this year the amount of avocados on the market will be lower than in previous years. Avocados are in the early season, the amount of ripe fruit is still low, and the growing area has been reduced because farmers have switched to growing durian and coffee. Therefore, many traders have been buying young avocados to sell early. Consumers need to be careful because young avocados are not ripe enough, do not taste good, and may even be inedible.

Every year, Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment organizes survey teams to work with the agricultural sector of Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho and the MM Mega Market Vietnam supermarket system to find and connect stable consumption markets for avocado products and other agricultural products of the province.

Lam Dong province has over 8,000 hectares of avocados of all kinds, with an annual output of about 80,000 tons. Of which, the 034 avocado area accounts for the largest proportion at 81.3% (6,557 hectares), mainly concentrated in Bao Lam, Di Linh, Lam Ha, Duc Trong districts and Bao Loc city. During its heyday, the 034 avocado specialty (long, thin-skinned fruit, thick yellow flesh, small seeds) had a selling price of no less than 100,000 VND per kg. However, from 2020 to now, the price of 034 avocado has only fluctuated around 15,000-30,000 VND per kg (depending on the type).

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