Preserve your avocado trees through changing seasons.

Amidst fluctuating prices, many farmers in western Lam Dong province remain steadfast in cultivating avocados, gradually shifting to clean production and improving fruit quality to adapt to the market, stabilize their livelihoods, and build a prosperous life in the long term.

Ms. Dang Thi Thuong currently has a 5-hectare avocado orchard planted exclusively with avocado trees.

Avocado trees contribute to prosperity.

From National Highway 28B, not far from residential areas 6 and 7 in Dak Ha, Bac Gia Nghia ward, one can see the endless green of avocado orchards. Well-built houses sit peacefully beside these avocado orchards, some planted exclusively with avocados, others intercropped with coffee and pepper. Avocado cultivation has made a significant contribution, helping to raise the average per capita income here to 83.9 million VND by 2025.

The family of Ms. Dang Thi Thuong, residing in residential area 6, Dak Ha, is one of the high-income households thanks to their avocado orchard, which is over 15 years old. At the beginning of the harvest season, she sold nearly 1 ton of 034 avocados, a local waxy avocado variety, at 40,000 VND/kg. A few days later, the price dropped to around 20,000 VND/kg, causing regret among avocado growers. But for Ms. Thuong, that was still a fairly good price; avocado farmers who have been growing avocados for many years can still make a profit and live well from this crop. According to calculations, the avocado orchard has a stable business, and after deducting expenses for fertilizer, irrigation, and mowing, a price of around 12,000 VND/kg or more would already be profitable.

Ms. Dang Thi Thuong, residing in residential group 6, Dak Ha, Bac Gia Nghia ward, currently owns a 15-year-old avocado orchard.

Her family started growing avocados around 2011. At that time, few people cultivated avocados on large areas, but her family still invested heavily in avocado cultivation. At one point, her family sold avocados at an extremely high price – 120,000 VND/kg. Since then, especially from 2019 to the present, avocado prices have never reached that peak again. “My family’s avocado orchard has been in operation for 15 years. Many years the avocados were so cheap they rotted at the base of the trees, and some years they yielded a good income, but I’ve never considered cutting them down to plant other crops. Avocado trees are well-suited to the soil and climate here, so the effort and fertilizer costs are reasonable. Furthermore, my family follows VietGAP standards for cultivation, so the selling price is always competitive,” Mrs. Thuong said confidently.

Change people's mindsets.

The sudden drop in avocado prices from 40,000 VND/kg to 20,000 VND/kg in just a few days has not only stunned farmers but also affected small traders like Ms. Mai Thi Thuy in Kien Duc commune. Having been buying avocados for 10 years, Ms. Thuy feels that the price has fluctuated drastically. At the beginning of the season, in April, fresh avocados were in high demand. However, the current price is only about 30% - 40% of the initial price. Her business partners have reported that some countries like Thailand and Cambodia are restricting imports. Ms. Thuy asserts that at the current price of around 20,000 VND/kg for high-quality, first-grade avocados, farmers can absolutely make a living from avocado cultivation in the long term. But to maintain this price, the role of the farmers is crucial. Avocado growers must select high-quality varieties, cultivate them according to clean farming standards, and harvest them at the right age—not too young, not too old—to ensure the avocados have the right texture and richness.

Many farming households in western Lam Dong province still maintain and cultivate avocado trees.

I was quite surprised by the understanding, perception, and assessment of the avocado buyers. Therefore, I also gained a better understanding of the transformation of this avocado-growing region over the past period: the process of selecting and improving fruit quality to meet market demands, and the need for investment in processing for sustainable development.

Ms. Mai Thi Thuy, a small trader specializing in buying avocados in Kien Duc commune for many years, believes that farmers should plant delicious varieties and harvest at the right age to stabilize avocado prices at a high level.

According to experts and local people, the western part of the province has favorable conditions for avocado cultivation. Avocados can be grown in many communes and wards with several different varieties such as: local waxy avocado, 034, Booth, Cuba, Hass, and Red. According to incomplete data, the avocado area in this region is currently about 3,200 hectares, with a production of approximately 16,000 tons. According to the provincial People's Committee's plan, the avocado area in the western region only accounts for 24% of the total fruit tree area in the entire region. The planned avocado area for the western part of the province is about 5,450 hectares. This means there is still significant potential for expanding avocado cultivation.

Those involved, the avocado growers here, have also come to understand the laws of the market better. They are no longer caught in the cycle of cutting down trees and replanting, chasing market prices. Instead, they must focus on preserving their advantageous crop, avocados, and producing clean, high-quality products. This will allow them to capitalize on attractive price fluctuations.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/giu-cay-bo-qua-nhung-mua-bien-dong-444934.html