Durian retail prices fall to $1.5 per kilogram in HCMC

Stalls have popped up on streets across the city and attracted passing motorists with their low prices. The sellers at some of these stalls said Ri6 durian had retailed at VND80,000-120,000 per kilogram a year ago.

Hong, a merchant who runs a stall on Pham Van Dong Street, said she usually sold watermelon and pomelo but switched to durian this year due to the fruit’s low prices at the farm gate. She buys Ri6 from Dong Thap Province in the Mekong Delta, and it sells out quickly in HCMC, she added.

Many supermarkets in the city are also selling both Ri6 and Monthong durians at similar prices.

Pho, who owns a fruit store on Le Duc Tho Street, said usually only misshapen or low-quality durian would sell this cheap with good fruits earmarked for export. “It is rare for grade A (highest-quality) and B durians to be widely sold at affordable rates like they are now.”

Hoang, a durian trader in the delta, said he would usually procure the fruit for exporters around this time of the year, but this year he has been selling to local distributors since early May since exports faced difficulties. “I used to buy five to 10 tons a day for exporters, but now most shipments go to distributors in HCMC, Hanoi and Da Nang.”

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association said durian prices have fallen sharply in recent months because exports to China, the largest market for the fruit, slowed just as the Mekong Delta entered its peak harvest season.

Quality testing for export has been taking too long, causing businesses to halt their purchases, it added.

Vo Tan Loi, chairman of the Dong Thap Durian Association, said the testing bottleneck has been alleviatedand exports are showing signs of recovery.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said it is currently the peak durian harvest season in Thailand, which competes with Vietnam in exporting to China.

But the harvest is nearing the end while Vietnam’s southeastern region is expected to begin harvesting durian soon, he said. “This will be an opportunity for durian exports to China to bounce back.”