Chinese honey apples from high-end to cheap, common goods

When it first appeared, Chinese honey apples were about 60,000-120,000 VND per kilogram, now they are 10,000-40,000 VND.

Chinese honey apples used to be a high-end fruit on the Vietnamese market, with characteristics of being crispy, fragrant and high in honey. A few years ago, to buy this type of fruit, consumers had to order a few days in advance, but now the supply is abundant and the price has dropped sharply. Many places sell honey apples in boxes of 6-7 kg for only a few tens of thousands of VND.

Previously, Ms. Hang in Cau Giay ( Hanoi ), a fan of Japanese Komitsu apples (a type of honey apple), only dared to buy them a few times a year because the price was quite high. After trying Chinese honey apples, she quickly fell in love with them because of their rich, sweet aroma, not inferior to Japanese products, and the price was only one-sixth. A 7 kg box cost about 70,000 VND, meaning each kg was only 10,000 VND.

Honey apples are sold by dealers all over the online market. Photo: Linh Dan

Similarly, Ms. Lien, a customer in District 8 (HCMC), said she consumed 2-3 boxes of honey apples in October alone. A large apple costs only 34,000 VND per kilogram, cheaper than Ninh Thuan green apples, making it impossible for her to ignore.

According to traders, Chinese honey apples are popular not only because of their attractive prices but also because of their consistent quality. With deep red, crispy skin and honey near the core, they create a distinctive flavor that is hard to confuse. When choosing to buy this type, consumers should pay attention to choose crispy apples because soft apples are often a sign of being left for a long time or not being properly preserved.

Chinese honey apples are flooding retail channels, from traditional markets, large and small fruit stores, to online sales channels.

7kg boxes of apples are sold at fruit wholesale markets. Photo: Thu Trang

According to Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang, an importer from Lao Cai border gate, this type of apple is grown on a large area in regions such as Xinjiang, Gansu and Shaanxi, where the cold climate lasts for a long time, helping the apples ripen slowly and accumulate more sugar, creating a characteristic honey. Low transportation costs and favorable exports from China have reduced the price of this type, only about 10,000-40,000 VND per kg depending on the type and form of purchase.

According to a representative of the agricultural wholesale market in Lao Cai, Chinese honey apples are quite abundant in the market, with attractive prices compared to many other imported apples.

Customs data shows that Vietnam spent nearly 800 million USD to import agricultural products from China, up 24% over the same period last year. Of which, apples, grapes, persimmons, and garlic were the most imported agricultural products.

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