Dragon fruit prices shoot up as rains affect yield
Prolonged rains have hit dragon fruit output and doubled farm-gate prices since May to VND15,000 (US$0.57) per kilogram.
Dragon fruit prices have soared in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong following heavy rains that have reduced yields. Farmers who were selling the fruit at a loss in May are now making small profits of VND3,000-4,000 per kilogram. Retail prices have also doubled, with the regular variety fetching VND25,000 per kilogram and the red-fleshed version at VND40,000.
Xuan, a local trader, cited a 10% decrease in production compared to last year due to the adverse weather conditions. Despite this, demand for the fruit remains steady. Canh, the president of the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association, explained that output has been declining in recent years as many farmers have shifted to other crops following a prolonged period of low prices.
He further noted that the weather has further constrained the supply available for exports. Customs data revealed a 3% year-on-year decline in dragon fruit exports to $280 million in the first half of the year. Vietnam currently has 55,000-60,000 hectares under dragon fruit cultivation, with an annual output of approximately 1.4 million tons.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
