Durian ripening season

Just a few ripe durians are enough to spread the intoxicating aroma of durian throughout the entire area. This season, if you go to Da Mi, Ham Thuan Bac, or up to Ta Pua in Tanh Linh, Duc Linh, you can smell the durian just by walking down the street…

In Binh Thuan province, there are currently three distinct durian-growing regions that produce high-quality fruit suitable for export: Ham Thuan Bac, Tanh Linh, and Duc Linh. The province has an estimated 2,500 hectares of durian, with nearly 2,000 hectares currently in production, yielding 10-16 tons per hectare. The largest durian-growing area is in the four highland communes of Ham Thuan Bac: Da Mi, Dong Giang, Dong Tien, and La Da, with an estimated 1,000 hectares. The remaining areas are in the communes from La Ngau to Duc Phu (Tanh Linh) and Me Pu to Tan Ha (Duc Linh), covering approximately 1,500 hectares. Similar to many dragon fruit growers, durian farmers in these regions are now participating in cooperatives or production groups to build regional durian brands with registered codes for export. According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, it is estimated that over 100 durian-growing households are currently participating in production organizations, with nearly 400 hectares of durian being harvested and registered for export area codes.

In mid-July, durian prices suddenly increased from 50,000-55,000 VND/kg to 80,000-95,000 VND/kg (depending on the variety), creating excitement among durian growers. Mr. Nguyen Van Minh from Da Tro village, Da Mi commune, said: "Although durian prices have increased this year, they are not as high as last year during the off-season. However, at 40,000 VND/kg, growers are already making a profit. At 90,000 VND/kg during the peak season, farmers are making substantial profits." In reality, not every grower can sell large quantities at the current prices of 80,000-95,000 VND/kg. This is because when the durian harvest season begins, many growers have already agreed to or signed contracts with traders to purchase the entire harvest at prices lower than the market rate. Farmers call it "bulk buying," meaning they buy both good and bad quality durian. The "bulk buying" price at the end of June was 42,000 VND/kg – 52,000 VND/kg depending on the quality of the durian from each orchard. According to our investigation, even though there were agreements or contracts signed with traders and wholesalers to supply durian to the market or for export, when the price doubled, traders still raised the price for farmers. Mr. Nguyen Hieu, residing in Mang To commune, who owns a nearly 5-hectare durian orchard in the Ta Pua area, said: "My family agreed to sell to a wholesaler at 52,000 VND/kg at the end of June. About 10 days later, the price went up to 95,000 VND/kg, and the traders agreed to increase it to nearly 65,000 VND/kg for my family." Prices went up, and sales didn't meet market prices as desired. However, because of prior agreements, the farmers maintained their reputation with traders so they could continue doing business together in the next season. A high price benefits both sides, while a low price results in losses for both parties.

At this time of year, many durian orchards are filled with ripe, falling durians every evening, emitting a fragrant aroma. This is also the time when many tourists visit the fruit orchards. Some places treat guests to "homegrown" durians that have fallen from the trees... It's worth noting that currently, not only in Binh Thuan but also in several other provinces and cities, seeing the high price of durian, farmers have cut down other crops to plant durian, causing the durian acreage to increase daily. This increase in durian acreage will disrupt crop planning and pose a safety risk, as the main export market is China, so it's necessary to avoid a repeat of what happened with dragon fruit...

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/mua-sau-rieng-chin-rung-110515.html