Vietnamese Musang King Durian Prices Hit Record Low

According to Vietnamese media reports, Musang King durian prices have recently plummeted by 70% compared with last year, which is primarily attributable to a drop in quality. The current price of 80,000 Vietnamese dong ($3.25) per kilogram marks a historic low.

One farmer in Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands region reported that current Musang King prices have fallen below those of high-quality Monthong durians. Musang King durians from Vietnam were highly sought after in recent years, fetching 250,000–300,000 dong ($10.17–12.21) per kilogram at wholesale. Meanwhile, retail prices often exceeded 500,000–700,000 dong ($20.34–28.48) per kilogram. This year, however, lower interest from traders has caused prices to fall to just 100,000 dong ($4.07) per kilogram.

Monthong durian yield depends on tree age, with an average production of 10–20 metric tons per hectare. By contrast, Musang King trees yield only half of that, with fruits rarely exceeding 1.5 kilograms, making them difficult to sell at high prices.

In a drastic response to these market conditions, one farmer from the southern province of Tien Giang is reported to have cut down 200 Musang King durian trees that had been growing for six years, resulting in cumulative losses of 6 billion dong ($244,000). According to the farmer, Musang King cultivation is less suitable for the local conditions, leading to lower yields and poorer fruit quality. This year, the farmer’s Musang King durians are fetching just 80,000 dong ($3.25) per kilogram.

Durian cultivation in Vietnam is concentrated in the country’s southern and Central Highlands regions. Interestingly, Kanyao durian prices have been on the rise since late October. On October 22, selected Ri6 Kanyao durians were selling for 83,000–93,000 dong ($3.38–3.78) per kilogram, while ordinary Kanyao durians were fetching 75,000–80,000 dong ($3.05–3.25) per kilogram. The purchase price of selected Monthong durians reached 87,000–93,000 dong ($3.54–3.78) per kilogram, while ordinary Monthong durians were selling for 76,000–82,000 dong ($3.09–3.34) per kilogram.

Industry insiders claim that the Musang King durians grown in Vietnam are of lower quality than their Malaysian counterparts, making it difficult to justify higher prices. Dang Manh Khuong, a trader in the southern city of Can Tho, noted that Musang King prices have experienced a sharp decline despite reduced supply. Musang King, once hailed as the world’s best durian variety, is now struggling to compete with other varieties in terms of both price and yield, at least within Vietnam.

Image: Unsplash

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.