Mekong Delta fruit prices surge as travel restrictions ease
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Jackfruit, longan, and lemon cultivated in the Mekong Delta are fetching two to four times the prices that prevailed when Covid-19 related transport restrictions were in force before Oct. 1.
Lemons bought directly at gardens are priced VND7,000-8,000 ($0.31-0.35) per kilogram these days, while they were selling for just VND2,000 per kilogram earlier.
Prices of Thai jackfruit have also surged to VND19,000-30,000 per kilogram. These prices are four times more than the previous four months when travel was restricted.
Similarly, longan prices have doubled to VND12,000-14,000 per kilogram.
“Farmers hope to a lot of longan and make a profit when Chau Thanh District (Dong Thap Province) harvests the fruit in about a month,” said Nguyen Van Thuan, a farmer from the district.
In July, fruit from the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s agriculture hub, was sold poorly at lower prices as wholesales markets across HCMC close due to Covid-19.
Mekong Delta contributes 90 percent of the country’s rice exports, 65 percent of seafood exports, and 70 percent of fruit exports.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary reason for the recent surge in fruit prices in the Mekong Delta?
What is the primary reason for the recent surge in fruit prices in the Mekong Delta?
The prices have surged because travel restrictions related to Covid-19 have eased since before October 1. This has improved transport conditions for fruit from the region.
Q.How much have lemon prices increased compared to when travel restrictions were in place?
How much have lemon prices increased compared to when travel restrictions were in place?
Lemons bought directly from gardens are now priced at VND7,000-8,000 per kilogram. This is a significant increase from the VND2,000 per kilogram they were selling for earlier.
Q.What proportion of Vietnam's fruit exports comes from the Mekong Delta region?
What proportion of Vietnam's fruit exports comes from the Mekong Delta region?
The Mekong Delta region, which is Vietnam's agriculture hub, contributes a substantial 70 percent of the country's total fruit exports.
Q.When do farmers expect to make a profit from the longan harvest?
When do farmers expect to make a profit from the longan harvest?
Farmers hope to make a profit from longan when Chau Thanh District harvests the fruit. This harvest is expected to occur in approximately one month.
Reader pulse
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