A report from the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) shows opposing directions in fruit imports and exports.

In the first four months of the year, Vietnam exported $1.17 billion worth of vegetables and fruits, a decrease of 14.6 percent compared with the same period last year. 

China was the biggest consumer of Vietnam’s vegetables and fruits in the first three months of the year, with 53.6 percent market share and turnover of $455 million, a decrease of 25.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Vietnam imported $562.1 million worth of products in the first four months of the year, an increase of 23.1 percent over the same period last year. 

China was still the biggest supplier of imported vegetables and fruits for Vietnam in the first three months of the year, accounting for 34.9 percent. Meanwhile, the figures were 19.1 percent for the US and 9.3 percent for Australia.

The increase in imports has caused fruit prices to decrease sharply. Australian grapes, which were priced at VND190,000-250,000 per kilogram, ate now selling at VND110,000-135,000 only.

Vietnam’s fruit prices have also been staying at low levels because of low exports. Cross-border exports to China have slowed down because of China’s ‘zero-Covid’ policy. 

MARD reported that in April, the price of white flesh dragon fruit in Tien Giang province decreased to VND9,000 per kilogram, while red flesh dragon fruit fell to VND14,000, watermelon VND7,000, Hoa Loc mango VND26,000 and Cat Chu mango VND14,000. Meanwhile, the durian price has fallen to 65,000 per kilogram as supply has become abundant during harvesting time.

Mango stock in the Mekong Delta has entered the high harvesting time. The prices of different kinds, from Thailand-variety to Cat Chu and Hoa Loc mangos, have seen sharp decreases. The price of Taiwan-variety mango has dropped so dramatically that farmers do not want to harvest mangos for sale.

Nong Nghiep Viet Nam reported that Taiwan-variety mangos in the ‘mango kingdom’ of Cai Be in Tien Giang province ate selling at just VND500 per kilogram.

In Co Do district (Can Tho), Cat Chu mango is selling at VND8,000-10,000 per kilogram, while Taiwan-variety mango is selling at the knockdown price of VND1,000 per kilogram.

In Cam Lam, the mango basket of Khanh Hoa province, the Australia-variety mango price has been sliding for a month. First-class products are collected by merchants at VND12,000-13,000 per kilogram, and second-class at VND4,000-5,000, while third-class are at VND2,000.

The deadlock at border gates has eased and Vietnam’s fruit exports to China have had customs clearance. This has helped to increase fruit prices, but the prices are still low. 

Chau Giang