Vietnamese Fruit Prices in China Increase as Imports Slow

According to Vietnamese media reports, large quantities of watermelons and dragon fruit originally destined for China are being sold off cheap on the streets of Da Nang.

Sellers claimed that the watermelons came from the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Quang Ngai in south-central Vietnam. The watermelons had to be sold in Da Nang as a result of border closures and logistical difficulties severely hampering exports to China.

Watermelons are reportedly being sold for as little as 5,000–6,000 Vietnamese dong ($0.22–0.26) per kilogram. Large quantities of dragon fruit have also faced export difficulties, with white-fleshed dragon fruit going for as little as 8,000 dong ($0.35) per kilogram and red-fleshed varieties priced at approximately 10,000–12,000 dong ($0.44–0.53) per kilogram.

The limited import volumes of Vietnamese watermelons and dragon fruit have reduced the supply of these fruits on the Chinese market and led to increased prices. In Guangzhou’s Jiangnan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market, the price of imported dragon fruit from Vietnam has already exceeded 12 Chinese yuan ($1.89) per kilogram and continues to rise. Meanwhile, the price of domestically produced dragon fruit is also increasing, with the average price now in excess of 5.6 yuan ($0.88) per kilogram.

Recently, because of the insufficient supply of imported dragon fruit, dragon fruit grown in Guangxi have become popular. The price of domestically produced watermelons has also risen rapidly, from 5.3 yuan ($0.84) per kilogram in early March to 7.3 yuan ($1.15) per kilogram as of now, corresponding to an increase of almost 40%.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.