Holding a 4-kilogram bag of custard apples purchased for 240,000 VND, or only 60,000 VND per kilogram, Bui Thi My from Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi proudly shared that this is her third order of the month. This year, the custard apples are sweet, meaty, and much cheaper compared to previous years.

Reflecting on the same time last year, Ms. My recalled spending 500,000 VND ($22) for just 1 kilogram of custard apples, noting that a 2-kilogram fruit could cost over a million VND - an exorbitant price for Vietnamese fruit.

“Among Vietnamese fruits, custard apples were the most expensive at that time,” she remarked. Now, the price is quite affordable, with plenty available in markets.

As she gathered orders for the first batch of this season’s custard apples, Vu Huyen from Cau Giay (Hanoi) noted that customer orders have already exceeded 80 kilograms. The custard apples arriving at her store tomorrow are still firm, and she plans to fulfill customer orders.

“This year, custard apples are very cheap. At the beginning of the season, the retail price is only 60,000-65,000 VND per kilogram for fruits weighing 400-700 grams each,” she stated. Last year, she sold the same fragrant custard apples for 150,000 VND per kilogram. When the fruit first appeared on the market, prices were exceedingly high, reaching over 500,000 VND per kilogram.

According to Huyen, the supply of custard apples has significantly increased, while many consumers are still unfamiliar with this special fruit. This has led to a substantial drop in prices compared to previous years.

Due to the lower prices, Huyen has shifted from selling by weight to offering sets of 2 kilograms or 4 kilograms.

Le Thi Hoa, a manager of a fruit store chain in Hanoi, acknowledged that custard apples, once the most expensive Vietnamese fruit, have now become an everyday item.

Her stores have begun stocking custard apples for sale, which are characterized by their large size, thin skin, and soft spikes that resemble durian. The flesh of the custard apple is very white and chewy, with few seeds, and has a fragrant smell similar to durian along with a rich sweetness.

Two years ago, her store sold custard apples at prices ranging from 450,000 to 500,000 VND per kilogram, depending on the type. At that time, the fruit was scarce, and customers had to place orders several days in advance.

Now, as the harvest season begins, the retail price in Hanoi is just 75,000 VND per kilogram for custard apples weighing between 500-800 grams each. The store has received three shipments, each totaling around a ton.

“When we hit the peak season, prices are expected to drop even further,” Hoa predicted.

In an interview with VietNamNet, Nguyen Huu Tu, director of the Me Lech Cooperative (Mai Son District, Son La Province), stated that the decreasing prices of custard apples are due to the abundant supply. This follows the general market trend.

The Me Lech Cooperative is one of the earliest producers of custard apples in Vietnam. Tu shared that this variety was developed through collaboration with a company specializing in vegetable and fruit seeds imported from Taiwan, which was grafted onto local varieties. After eight months of grafting, the organic custard apples produced their first fruits.

When ripe, these custard apples can weigh between 0.4 to 2.5 kilograms each, with harvesting starting in early August and continuing until the Lunar New Year.

In 2021, the cooperative’s custard apples began to bear fruit, and by 2022, they had 20 hectares of custard apples, generating revenue of up to 14 billion VND due to high prices. Customers would buy the harvest as soon as it was available. Some days, there was a shortage of supply compared to demand.

This year, the area for custard apples at the Me Lech Cooperative has expanded to 100 hectares, with an estimated yield of 20 tons per hectare, Tu shared.

Currently, custard apples of size 1-2 kg are sold at the farm for 80,000-90,000 VND per kilogram, while smaller fruits weighing 400-700 grams are priced at 40,000-50,000 VND per kilogram wholesale. According to Tu, these prices have halved compared to last year’s season.

“About a month from now, custard apples will enter the peak harvest season,” said the director of the Me Lech Cooperative. At that time, the fruit will be more widely distributed to stores, supermarkets, and wholesale markets in Hanoi.

In the mountainous district of Mai Son, not only the Me Lech Cooperative but also local farmers are expanding their custard apple plantations, as this variety yields high productivity. Mature custard apple orchards can produce 20 tons per hectare.

Calculating at an average price of 60,000 VND per kilogram, a hectare could yield 1.2 billion VND, significantly higher than the profit from other types of custard apples, Tu noted.

US$1 = VND25,000

Tam An