Dragon fruit price unexpectedly triples

After dropping heavily due to the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak, the price of dragon fruits in Binh Thuan Province currently is three times higher compared to a few days ago.

The price of dragon fruits unexpectedly recovers but the supply is scarce. (Photo: SGGP)

On February 18, Mr. Vo Huy Hoang, Chairman of the Dragon Fruit Association of Binh Thuan Province, said that the price of dragon fruits has been jumping strongly, fluctuating from VND13,000 to VND16,000 per kilogram, the highest level since the beginning of this year.

Ms. Nguyen Thai Thanh, a dragon fruit trader in Ham Thuan Nam District, said that the price of dragon fruits was at VND3,000-VND5,000 per kilogram a few days ago. The price is three or four times higher now. However, fearing poor consumption, many farmers have stopped artificial lighting so the supply is scarce now.

Meanwhile, the representative of the Dragon Fruit Association of Binh Thuan Province said that the price of dragon fruits rebounded because the export of dragon fruits to other markets is on the increase.

‘Currently, a small quantity of dragon fruits is exported to China by sea, the rest is mainly exported to other markets, such as India, Singapore, and Canada,’ said Mr. Vo Huy Hoang.

Amid a sudden hike in the price of dragon fruits, some orchards in Binh Thuan Province remained cautious, limiting the expansion of the growing area, and focusing on nourishing their plants for the upcoming main crop.

‘The Covid-19 outbreak in China remains complicated. Meanwhile, the dragon fruits of Vietnam are mainly exported to this market. The amount of dragon fruits sold in the domestic market and exported to other countries is small. Farmers have temporarily halted artificial lighting long ago. We hope that when the main dragon fruit crop comes, the Covid-19 outbreak will ease, the export of dragon fruits will be smooth and the price of dragon fruits will be stable again,’ said Mr. Vo Xuan Son in Ham Thuan Nam District in Binh Thuan Province.

Binh Thuan Province is currently the place that has the largest growing area and the highest production of dragon fruits in the country with more than 30,000 hectares and a production of 600,000 tons of dragon fruits per year. Currently, more than 80 percent of dragon fruit production is exported to China via cross-border trade.