Dragon fruits sold at cheap prices
The prices sharply dropped to VND4,000 to VND5,000. Tien Giang alone has nearly 6,000 hectares of dragon fruits.
Vui,a farmer from Cho Gao District, Tien Giang, said, "China stopped importing dragon fruits. The fruits are ripe and withering away because no one wants to buy them."
According to other growers, traders now only buy dragon fruits that weigh at least 350 grams each, the skin must look clean with a hint of green. Another grower, Kieu, said regular traders hadn't come so they have to sell the fruits on the side of the roads at cheap prices of VND1,000 to VND2,000 per kilo to recoup some money.
Farmers in Binh Thuan Province, the dragon fruit hub of Vietnam, are also facing difficulties. Le Tung from Ham Cuong Commune said they harvested three tonnes of dragon fruits but had been only able to sell two tonnes at the price of VND1,500 per kilo.
According to Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province have 27,000 hectares devoted to dragon fruit and produce 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes each year. The prices had been stable since early 2018.
Chau Van Duc, head of Cho Gao District Agricultural Extension Centre, said the farmers had a bountiful crop thanks to favourable weather which led to excessive supply. However, since 70-80% of the fruits are exported to China, they are facing a huge challenge after Chinese traders stopped buying.
Dragon fruit prices will continue to decrease in the coming days until China is ready for new batches. Farmers are advised to keep taking care of their gardens for the next crop.