Durian prices in the Mekong Delta have dropped.

DNVN - Many durian farmers in the Mekong Delta say that although off-season durian is currently being harvested, the price of this agricultural product is only around 35,000-50,000 VND/kg. At this price, they only break even, or even incur losses…

Taking us to visit his durian orchard during harvest, farmer Nguyen Van Trong (residing in Tan Phu commune, Cai Lay district, Tien Giang province) said that his family owns 8,000 square meters of land cultivating 150 Monthong durian trees. He had just harvested two batches of fruit, yielding over 4 tons, and the price offered by traders was 38,000 VND/kg, meaning he would certainly lose money at this price.

"Durian cultivation requires a lot of care and the cost of fertilizers and pesticides for flower treatment must be at least 60,000 VND to break even or make a profit. I grow it on my own land, not rented; any household that rents land is sure to lose money," Mr. Trong explained.

The current price of durian is only around 35,000-50,000 VND/kg. At this price, farmers are only breaking even, or even incurring losses .

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Long (Ngu Hiep commune, Cai Lay district, Tien Giang province), durian has been the main crop in this region for many years and is also the primary source of income . Last year, the durian harvest was bountiful and prices were high, helping many households earn billions of dong. However, now, even with the early durian crop, everyone is worried because of low prices and slow sales. "If this situation doesn't improve soon, in about 1-2 months, when the main harvest season arrives, it will be very difficult to sell and export," Mr. Long said.

Having harvested over 8 tons of early-ripening Ri6 durian in December 2024 at 110,000 VND/kg, resulting in a considerable profit, Ms. Cao Thi Chien's family (Tan Phu commune, Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province) was shocked when, by the end of January this year, the price had dropped to 55,000 VND/kg. "Currently, we still have several tons of durian ready for harvest, and I don't know if the price will drop further," she worried.

Having to clear his mandarin and plum orchards to switch to growing this highly profitable crop, Mr. Huynh Van Tho (Tan Thanh commune, Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province) is even more worried. He said: “A few years ago, I saw other places making a fortune from durian, so I cleared my mandarin and plum orchards to switch to growing this highly profitable crop. The first harvest is scheduled for 2025, but the price has dropped sharply, so I haven't dared to invite traders to inspect the orchard yet. For now, I'm focusing on caring for the trees and waiting a few more weeks to see how things turn out before deciding to sell…”

Leaders of Tan Phu Agricultural Cooperative (Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province) stated that, besides the lower durian prices compared to the same period last year, most early-fruiting orchards have seen a 40-60% decrease in yield due to unfavorable weather conditions and heavy rains, which have hindered fruit setting. This indicates lower-than-expected profits, but farmers and businesses are even more worried as provinces simultaneously enter their peak harvest season in the coming months, leading to increased production and potentially a situation of "oversupply and price drops."

Farmers inspect durians before handing them over to traders .

The reason for the plummeting durian prices is the impact of Chinese authorities inspecting for Basic Yellow 2 (BY2), a chemical with potential carcinogenic risks, when exporting durian to this massive market.

Previously, at the end of 2024, the General Administration of Customs of China discovered that several batches of durian imported from Thailand contained Yellow O residue. Therefore, on January 10th, China announced the implementation of stricter inspection measures for imported durian shipments.

Accordingly, durian entering the Chinese market, in addition to the cadmium inspection certificate (as before), now requires an additional Yellow O inspection certificate. This new regulation has caused difficulties for some Vietnamese durian export businesses. Some businesses have had to return their goods to the border because they lacked the Yellow O certificate. The delays in customs clearance have also led to a sharp drop in domestic durian prices.

Thai Cuong

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/sau-rieng-mien-tay-rot-gia/20250219034400624