Western durian prices continue to fall

On April 11, in Cai Lay district ( Tien Giang province) - one of the largest durian growing areas in the country, durian prices have dropped sharply compared to a month ago.

Most durian purchasing warehouses in Cai Lay, Cai Be districts and Cai Lay town, Tien Giang province are offering the price of Monthong durian type A (2.7 boxes; 1.9-5.2 kg) at warehouses at 113,000-115,000 VND per kg; type B (2.5 boxes; 1.7-5.7 kg) is 93,000-95,000 VND.

At the current price compared to the price about 10 days ago, each kg of durian has decreased in price by about 100,000 VND.

Currently, the purchase price of Ri6 at gardens in Cai Lay district, Tien Giang is only around 65,000 VND/kg. Ri6 durian is currently being purchased by warehouses for type A at 83,000 - 87,000 VND/kg (2.7 boxes, from 1.9 - 5.2 kg); type B at 70,000 - 72,000 VND/kg (2.5 boxes, 1.7 - 5.7 kg), down about half compared to the peak about 10 days ago.

As a seasonal fruit, the price of durian can vary depending on the season and supply. When durian is in season and supply is abundant, the price may decrease. Meanwhile, when durian is scarce, the price may increase.

In the durian growing area of Ngu Hiep commune (Cai Lay district), this year, due to unfavorable weather, durian leaves were burnt, leading to no fruit set, causing crop failure. Despite high prices, many gardeners have no durian to sell. Recently, information that 30 batches of durian for export in 2023 were contaminated with heavy metals has also made purchasing units more cautious and strict in purchasing.

Domestic durian prices are forecast to continue to fall as the crop enters its peak season. However, traders say it is unlikely that the price will drop to VND30,000 per kilogram due to heat and drought, resulting in lower yields than previous years.

According to a leader of Cai Lay District People's Committee, durian in the area is currently in the off-season. At one point, Monthong durian "peaked" at 230,000 VND/kg, which was the purchase price at the warehouse. Maybe at that time, the warehouses lacked goods to pack in containers, so they bought at such a high price. Currently, although the price of durian in Cai Lay district has decreased, it is still high, and farmers earn a lot of profit.

Durian prices are falling sharply

In Cai Be district, durian prices have also dropped sharply in recent days. According to a durian farm in My Duc Dong commune, Cai Be district, Ri 6 durian currently costs an average of 73,000 - 88,000 VND/kg, while Monthong durian has not been updated due to lack of stock.

This year, due to unfavorable weather, most durian areas in Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces suffered from leaf burn, resulting in low productivity. Some gardeners even abandoned the fruit before the dry season to preserve the trees, so the overall durian output in the Western provinces at this time is not high.

In 2023, Vietnam will export 2.3 billion USD worth of durian to markets, of which China accounts for 87%. This year, exports of this agricultural product could reach 3.5 billion USD if China soon approves official exports of frozen durian.

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