Cheap durian floods the streets

DURIAN PRICES REMAIN LOW

According to records, in recent days, farmers in the province have entered the main durian harvest season. However, in contrast to recent years, this year, durian growers are "durian in general" due to low prices.

Cheap durian shops have sprung up along Highway 1.

In Cai Lay Town, durian prices have not improved. According to a durian purchasing warehouse in Cai Lay Town, on May 23, the warehouse purchased Monthong durian (Thai) type A at 72,000 VND/kg, type B at 52,000 VND/kg. Ri 6 durian type A was purchased at 48,000 VND/kg, type B at 33,000 VND/kg. This price has not improved compared to half a month ago.

According to Mr. Luong Van Han, Director of Phu Quy Agricultural Cooperative (Phu Quy Commune, Cai Lay Town), currently, the price of Ri 6 durian type A purchased by traders at the garden is 38,000 VND/kg; buying in bulk is about 30,000 VND/kg. Particularly, Thai durian type A at the garden is over 60,000 VND/kg, buying in bulk is from 50,000 - 55,000 VND/kg.

However, in the area, there are very few Thai durian gardens. “For about half a year now, the price of durian has been consistently low. With the current price, farmers can only break even. If a garden harvests 2 tons/acre or more, it will make a profit, otherwise it will break even or even lose money. This year, in general, durian productivity is not high. Farmers are “living durian together” and no longer “living durian”.

In Cai Lay district, in the general situation, due to difficulties in exporting durian, durian prices are still very low. According to the leader of Tan Phong Commune People's Committee, Cai Lay district, in recent days, durian prices in the area have increased, but the prices are still very low.

Specifically, Ri 6 durian in the garden costs from 45,000 VND/kg or less (depending on the quality of the product), Thai durian is about 60,000 VND/kg. This year, although it is a favorable crop, the durian harvest is not much. The reason is that many farmers choose to process off-season fruit. With the current price, farmers still make a profit, but very little.

GOODS OVERLAY ON THE STREET

According to records on National Highway 1, the section passing through Chau Thanh, Cai Lay districts and Cai Lay town, Tien Giang province, dozens of durian retail outlets have sprung up on both sides of the road. Most of these durian outlets have only sprung up in the last month, since the price of durian "plummeted".

People buy cheap durian on the roadside.

The selling points hang signs selling durian at attractive prices for people such as: 30k; 40k... Even though the sign says 30,000 VND/kg, when customers come to buy, only a small corner of the pile of durian on display has that price; the rest will have many different prices, ranging from 30,000 VND/kg to 60,000 VND/kg.

At Ms. Lan's durian selling point (through Chau Thanh district), we noted that this point continuously welcomed groups of customers coming in to choose and buy.

Ms. Lan said: “I have only been selling for over half a month, selling a few hundred kilos a day is normal. Durian is sourced from two sources. The first source is buying durian from warehouses and export companies. The second source is buying in bulk from gardeners and then selecting and selling at different prices.”

A durian shop has a sign saying 40,000 VND/kg, but there are no durian products on Highway 50.

On Highway 50, from My Tho City to Cho Gao District, we also recorded many cheap durian selling points springing up along the road. Some places hung signs selling durian at 50,000 VND/kg, others sold it at 40,000 VND/kg.

We stopped by a durian shop in Cho Gao town with a sign saying 40,000 VND/kg. When we asked to buy the 40,000 VND/kg type, the seller said that this type was not available yet; there were only durians from 60,000 - 80,000 VND/kg. According to our investigation, the durians priced at 40,000 VND/kg that this shop posted a sign saying were actually those with damaged bottoms.

According to a durian trader, cheap durian sold on the roadside is drifting durian. Usually these fruits only have 1-2 compartments, some of them are rotten at the bottom, have worms, etc.

Y PHUONG

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202505/sau-rieng-gia-re-tran-ra-duong-1043332/