Durian prices in Dak Lak have dropped to 80,000 VND/kg due to testing delays.

Nearly 2,000 containers were stuck for 10-15 days because testing laboratories stopped accepting samples from October 11th; on the evening of October 24th, results were returned for some shipments, but the acceptance of new samples has not yet returned to normal.

The price of Grade A durian at warehouses in Dak Lak on the morning of October 25th was around 80,000 VND/kg, down from over 100,000 VND/kg previously (approximately 20%), amidst a backlog of nearly 2,000 containers due to disruptions in residue testing since October 11th. Businesses and factories have had to temporarily halt purchasing, creating significant pressure on the abundant supply of ripe durian and cash flow.

Durian fruits that fell to the ground on the morning of October 25th were collected by farmers in Dak Lak because businesses and traders stopped buying them. Photo: Linh Dan

Price trends: sharp decline at warehouses, lasting for several days.

According to the Dak Lak Durian Association, from October 11th to the morning of October 25th, the price of Grade A durian at warehouses decreased by more than 10,000 VND/kg, from over 100,000 VND to around 80,000 VND/kg. Some batches of durian that have been in storage for 10-15 days are at risk of cracking and deteriorating quality, putting pressure on them to sell quickly at lower prices.

Cause of price fluctuations: disruption in testing for yellow dye and cadmium.

Mr. Le Anh Trung, Chairman of the Dak Lak Durian Association, said that laboratories serving to check chemical residues for export have stopped accepting samples since October 11th and have not yet returned results for previously submitted shipments. Currently, very few facilities have the capacity to simultaneously test for both mandatory indicators, Yellow O and Cadmium; most only meet one of the two requirements, causing bottlenecks in the process during the peak harvest season.

The suspension of testing prevented businesses from completing safety certification – a mandatory condition for customs clearance – forcing them to halt purchasing. As a result, prices fell for farmers, thousands of tons of ripe durian remained unsold, and the costs of care, transportation, and preservation fell on individual farmers and cooperatives.

Comparing historical data and the export picture for the first 8 months.

According to Customs, in the first eight months of the year, Vietnam exported approximately 451,000 tons of fresh durian, worth $1.52 billion, a decrease of 24% in volume and 25% in value compared to the same period last year. Frozen durian exports reached over 58,000 tons, worth $265 million, an increase of 67% and 127% respectively. Total durian export value was nearly $1.8 billion, a decrease of about 16% compared to the same period last year.

Item	Quantity	Value	Compared to the same period
Fresh durian	451,000 tons	$1.52 billion	Reduced by 24% (quantity); reduced by 25% (value)
Frozen durian	Over 58,000 tons	$265 million	Increased by 67% (volume); increased by 127% (value)
Total turnover	But	Nearly $1.8 billion	A reduction of approximately 16%.

Policy developments and short- to medium-term outlook.

Faced with the bottleneck, the Dak Lak Durian Association has petitioned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Provincial People's Committee to resume testing, prioritize testing for export samples during peak season, and temporarily authorize competent local units to reduce the burden on the central system.

On the afternoon of October 24th, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held a meeting with testing laboratories and specialized units; that evening, some facilities began returning results for the backlog, helping to alleviate some of the container congestion. However, the acceptance of new samples has not yet returned to normal. In the short term, durian prices will remain under pressure if testing capacity does not recover quickly enough; once the process is smooth, prices have a chance to stabilize according to supply and demand.

Impact on supply chains and businesses

Prolonged delays increase the risk of spoilage, damage reputation with importing partners, and could cause hundreds of billions of dong in losses for businesses. Factories and cooperatives have temporarily suspended purchasing, farmers incur storage costs, and cash flow is slow. The association is compiling losses to propose support, while also aiming for a stable, long-term testing mechanism for the durian industry.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/gia-sau-rieng-dak-lak-con-80000-dongkg-do-tac-xet-nghiem-397646.html