Binh Thuan dragon fruit prices increase sharply

Dragon fruit price is VND 25,000 per kg

In recent days, the price of white-fleshed dragon fruit in Binh Thuan province has been continuously increased by traders to collect products to meet the needs of exporting goods to foreign markets.

Mr. Nguyen Tanh, a dragon fruit farmer in Village 5, Ham Liem commune, Ham Thuan Bac district, said that the price of dragon fruit purchased in the garden has increased to about VND 25,000 per kg, which is the highest price since the beginning of the year and has been maintained for about 4-5 days.

Previously, the purchased price of dragon fruit ranged from VND 17,000 - 18,000 per kg, then increased from VND 20,000 - 22,000 per kg because supply is scarce, while consumption demand remains stable.

According to Mr. Tanh, with the current price of dragon fruit, harvesting farmers will make a big profit of VND 10,000 - 15,000 per kg after deducting costs. However, there are currently few gardens with ripe dragon fruit because this is the end of the season. Furthermore, people have focused on making dragon fruit lanterns before, during, and after Tet, so the output of the generations after the lanterns has also decreased.

"Normally, if dragon fruit grows in front of the headlights and produces a lot of fruit, then in the phase after the lights, the yield will be low and vice versa," Mr. Tanh said, adding that his family has 350 pillars of ripening dragon fruit, expected to in 1 week, it will be harvested with a yield of about 4 tons. Therefore, he hopes that dragon fruit prices will remain high for a bumper harvest in the coming time.

Mr. Huynh Canh, Chairman of Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association, confirmed that the current price of dragon fruit purchased by warehouses ranges from VND 20,000 - 25,000 per kg, depending on the garden.

The reason why dragon fruit prices are currently high, according to Mr. Canh, is that the Chinese market is consuming stably. At this time in China, almost no dragon fruit is harvested, so it is not "flooded to the market."

"Currently, Binh Thuan dragon fruits are still in stock, not scarce, because the purchasing warehouses of businesses are still open and packed normally. Shortly, the Chinese market will have red-fleshed dragon fruit.

Due to the beginning of the season, the selling price will be very high, so Vietnamese dragon fruit consumption will still be stable. Moreover, the heat is intense everywhere, so there is little fruit. Therefore, I think that dragon fruit prices will remain high and stable in the coming time," Mr. Canh predicted.

Focus on producing GAP standard dragon fruits

According to the Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province currently has 26,500ha of dragon fruit, down nearly 1,150ha compared to the same period in 2023. In the first months of 2024, domestic and export fruit demand is significant, so dragon fruit prices are stable. Certain times, there are times when it increases so farmers can harvest profitably.

However, in March 2024, many households continued to light the lights in the off-season. Still, the weather was scorching and windy, so the ability to flower was not achieved, leading to low harvest productivity.

Currently, the weather is relatively complicated. Binh Thuan's agricultural sector recommends that farmers not develop more areas, increase field hygiene, apply balanced fertilizers, and focus on destroying disease sources to minimize disease brown spots on dragon fruit. Localities concentrate on directing and guiding people to produce GAP dragon fruits, focusing on product quality.

Mr. Do Van Bao, Director of the Binh Thuan Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said that export dragon fruits to the Chinese market sustainably and stably, farmers and businesses need to comply with regulatory requirements regulations on management and use of production unit codes and packing house codes of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). Also, measures should be deployed to manage pests and diseases in gardens and harmful organisms subject to plant quarantine in the Chinese market.

According to Mr. Bao, the development orientation of Binh Thuan dragon fruit is to stabilize the existing area, not develop additional regions. At the same time, focus on in-depth development, be proactive in implementing requirements for good agricultural production practices, and gradually improve product quality to expand consumption markets.

Binh Thuan province determines that China is still the primary market, and at the same time, promotes the search and expansion to other markets such as Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

Binh Thuan province is re-planning dragon fruit growing areas, prioritizing the construction of concentrated growing areas towards applying high technology. Old dragon fruit areas can be cut down to plant new ones or changed to other crops, but they must be suitable for the climate characteristics of each locality and have development potential.

In addition, the province's agricultural sector continues to propagate and guide dragon fruit growers on good agricultural production practices, ensuring food safety and hygiene, improving quality, and meeting increasingly demanding market requirements. At the same time, popularize policies linking the production and consumption of agricultural products so that people can access them effectively.

Up to now, the area of Binh Thuan dragon fruit certified to meet VietGAP standards is about 8,604ha. The whole province has 623 production unit codes and 271 packaging house codes exported to China, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Japan has been carried out.