Dong Thap businesses race to keep fresh jackfruit source for Tet

After a period of price reduction, the price of commercial jackfruit in Dong Thap province has recently increased again at a high level. From now until the Lunar New Year 2026, it is the peak harvest season, helping gardeners have a stable source of income. However, there is still concern about the supply not being able to meet demand, as many growing areas are affected by storms and flooding. In addition, export activities are still subject to strict quality control, causing customs clearance to slow down. At this time, Dong Thap businesses are speeding up the collection of jackfruit to meet the high consumption demand during Tet.

Race to keep goods

Talking to reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper, a representative of Quoc Tin Import Export Company Limited (Dong Thap) said that the purchase price of jackfruit at the enterprise's warehouse is still only at an average level. Currently, this company is purchasing two main varieties including Thai jackfruit and Indo red-fleshed jackfruit. Of which, Thai jackfruit costs about 18,000 VND/kg for good quality products, while B and C types are at 14,000 VND/kg. Indo red-fleshed jackfruit, type A, is about 30,000 VND/kg and type B is 20,000 VND/kg. This price is generally equivalent to the same period in previous years, only higher than last week.

*Jackfruit is labeled before export. Photo: Quoc Tin Company*

A representative of Quoc Tin Company said that although jackfruit prices have increased, businesses are still facing great pressure on supply. "Prices have increased, but we are worried about not having enough goods. Controlling Cadmium residue has made customs clearance much slower than before, while recent storms and flooding have reduced output in many growing areas. This year's jackfruit supply is not as abundant as previous crops, so the pressure to prepare goods for Tet is very large," the company representative shared.

In the group of deep processing enterprises, the pressure on raw materials is no less stressful. Mr. Huynh Van Hiep, Director of Nam Huy Dong Thap Company Limited, said that this year the unit was forced to proactively sign a purchase agreement earlier than last year to ensure enough fresh jackfruit materials for the production of dried jackfruit for Tet.

According to Mr. Hiep, market demand increased sharply in the last quarter of the year, especially export orders to the US and EU, forcing the company to hold goods very early.

"The most difficult thing is that the raw material area is too fragmented. If traders change direction or the rain lasts for a long time, there will be a shortage of goods. This is really a daily race," Mr. Hiep shared.

*Bustling atmosphere at the jackfruit export warehouse at the end of the year. Photo: Nam Huy Dong Thap Company*

As a processing enterprise, Nam Huy Company applies a mechanism of stable purchasing prices periodically to maintain raw material areas and limit the impact of market fluctuations. Therefore, although jackfruit prices on the market tend to increase slightly compared to the previous period, the company's purchasing price this year is generally the same as last year.

According to the company representative, the company's products are currently available in about 12 countries, of which the US, EU and some Southeast Asian countries are the main markets. Along with the opportunity to expand orders, the company must also meet a series of strict standards on traceability, pesticide residue control and food safety. Thanks to the advantage of Dong Thap raw material area, which is assessed to have uniform and delicious fruit quality, the province's dried jackfruit products remain competitive in the international market.

Transparent standards for year-end season

Talking to a reporter from Cong Thuong Newspaper, Ms. Ngoc Diem, representative of Khanh Thang red-fleshed jackfruit farm (Dong Thap) said that the end of the year is always a time of pressure for purchasing units, especially when many markets tighten requirements on quality and traceability.

"In the past two years, export standards have become increasingly stricter, and if just one index deviates, the shipment can be held back. Therefore, we are forced to standardize the process from garden to packaging. Non-compliant growing areas have almost no export outlets, so we have to coordinate closely with cooperatives to complete documents and reduce quarantine risks," Ms. Diem shared.

*Jackfruit is purchased at the garden, each fruit is carefully selected. Photo: Khanh Thang Jackfruit Farm*

From an expert perspective, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that the pressures that businesses and purchasing warehouses are facing also reflect the general picture of the fruit export industry at the end of the year. Not only China, but many other markets such as Korea, Japan and the EU are constantly updating quarantine and food safety standards, forcing units in the supply chain to improve quality synchronously.

"Currently, many markets have switched from checking after the goods arrive to checking at the source. That means records of growing areas, farming processes or logs of agricultural material use must be complete from the beginning. This method causes many difficulties for small-scale producers, but in return, it also creates opportunities for the fruit industry to standardize the process. When done correctly from the beginning, the risk of returned goods is significantly reduced, the value of orders is increased and businesses have the basis to sign longer-term contracts," said Mr. Nguyen.

In the context of increasing demand but limited supply, experts say that only standardized and clearly traceable raw material areas can help Vietnamese jackfruit maintain its market position at the end of the year.

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