Price plummets, export fails, durian growers disillusioned?

Dare not handle adversity

Just sold out durian After many times, traders came to buy in bulk at the garden, Mr. Tu Ny (Hung Thanh ward, Cai Rang district, Can Tho ) said that at the beginning of the season, the price of durian at the garden was about 70,000 - 75,000 VND/kg. When entering the main season, the price of durian decreased rapidly and continuously, last week the price was 38,000 VND/kg. "The price has increased a bit in recent days, but yesterday it went down again, sometimes it decreased by tens of thousands of VND per kilo, but the price only increased by a few thousand VND", Mr. Ny said.

Cheap durian sold on the roadside in Phong Dien district, Can Tho. Photo: CK.

With 20 hectares of durian land, Mr. Ny harvests about 25 tons of fresh fruit each crop. This year, his family earned more than 1.2 billion VND, after deducting expenses, the profit was about 800 million VND, a profit that decreased by more than half compared to last year. This is the second crop that Mr. Ny harvested, and it is expected that he will need another crop to recover enough investment capital and care for the past 8 years (since planting).

“Previously, we planted jackfruit in between for short-term gain, but the bigger durian trees had to be cut down. Due to the unpredictable market situation, we did not dare to grow off-season fruit this year, because the cost was high but the output was too unstable. Recently, the selling price to traders was low, so our family had to sell each fruit individually, then peel the segments and sell them to acquaintances and friends, to recoup a little bit of the situation,” Mr. Ny added.

'Billion Dollar Tree' cools down?

According to some farmers, if the difficult situation persists, durian growers may cut down trees to switch to another direction. However, for now, the appeal of the "king of fruits" still attracts many farmers in west participate, because the economic value is much higher than many other crops.

“Despite the price, durian is still attractive, people still grow a lot,” said Mr. Phan Van Cho (Cai Lay district, Tien Giang). Mr. Cho’s family currently has more than 4 hectares of durian in Tien Giang, but has just invested in an additional 8 hectares in Dong Thap .

Durian exports in the first months of 2025 decreased sharply. Photo: CK.

Regarding the shortcomings of durian cultivation, according to the local agricultural sector, the area of ​​durian cultivation is still increasing, but fragmented and lacking concentration. While there is not much linkage between production and product consumption with businesses, most farmers sell fruit according to the market, through traders, so the price is unstable.

According to Department of Agriculture and Environment (NN&MT) In Hau Giang, in recent years, many farmers have chosen to grow durian, although the authorities have advised people not to grow it spontaneously when there is no stable output market. To maintain the export market, in recent times, local authorities have continuously taken samples to monitor quality and growing area codes.

Mr. Tran Thai Nghiem - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho - said that the locality regularly recommends that farmers pay attention to the quality of durian products; implement management of growing area codes, research processed products from durian instead of just selling fresh fruit. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to the domestic market, avoiding complete dependence on export, to avoid risks when the market has technical barriers, policies change suddenly.

Representative of Can Tho Department of Agriculture and Environment said, durian price This year's sharp decline and unstable consumption market also pose problems for this industry that need to be overcome for sustainable development. Exports depend heavily on the Chinese market, so any move from this market will have a big impact on the domestic market. Exporting a batch of durian is difficult, and if it is returned, it is even more difficult for both growers and exporters. Therefore, the issue of product quality must always be put first.

According to a representative of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the Chinese market still needs a large quantity of durian, not only fresh fruit but also processed durian products, but the fruit needs to ensure quality. Durian growers also hope that the relevant agencies will promote the expansion of other consumption markets, avoiding dependence on one market.

In a recent “letter” sent to the Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Mr. Vu Duc Con - Chairman of the Dak Lak Province Durian Association proposed: Next July, the Protocol between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the General Department of Customs of China will expire, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment needs to review, evaluate the negotiation and re-sign the protocol, the process of granting and managing codes for growing areas and packaging facilities. This process needs to seek opinions from experts and businesses. In addition, it is necessary to study and have clear regulations on codes for growing areas and packaging facilities, creating favorable conditions for export and handling violations.

For areas of violation, the competent authority will set a red alert zone and improve the cultivation process. According to Mr. Con, it is necessary to build standards for durian exports, applying science and technology to check age and food safety. Up to now, China has only approved a number of laboratories introduced by the Plant Protection Department to test for yellow O and cadmium. To avoid monopoly and the mechanism of asking for and giving, Mr. Con suggested continuing negotiations with China to open more laboratories for businesses to choose from.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/gia-lao-doc-xuat-khau-bat-thanh-nguoi-trong-sau-rieng-vo-mong-3359230.html