As Tet approaches, imported cherries, despite their high price, are still selling well.

New Zealand cherries are imported to Vietnam. Photo: THANH YEN

Cherries, an imported fruit with beautiful colors, are a popular choice for many families as gifts and for consumption during Tet (Lunar New Year). This year, the price of this imported fruit has increased, especially for high-end varieties from Australia and New Zealand, but it remains in high demand in the days leading up to Tet.

At a fruit shop on Le Van Sy Street (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City), New Zealand cherries measuring 32-34 mm cost nearly 2 million VND per kilogram. Smaller cherries range from 900,000 to 1 million VND per kilogram.

Imported cherries from Australia are also priced similarly, but have been out of stock since the 26th day of the Lunar New Year. In addition, Chilean cherries, priced more affordably at 200,000 - 250,000 VND per kilogram, are being ordered in large quantities by many people.

Similarly, the owner of a shop on Quang Trung Street (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) said that all the high-end cherries in the shop had sold out a few days ago. According to the shop owner, the price of cherries has increased by 20-35% compared to last year, depending on the type and size of the fruit.

"Cherries are a popular choice as Tet gifts, so sales are very good, especially for high-end products. Many customers placed orders half a month in advance to ensure they have the goods closer to Tet," she said.

On online shopping sites, many shops have also announced that they are out of stock. Some customers have to wait an additional 2-3 days to receive their orders due to delays in import shipments compared to normal.

Ms. Hanh, a fruit trader from Australia, said that the 27th day of the Lunar New Year was the last day she accepted orders for cherries shipped by air, but "orders were still pouring in." However, the beautiful cherries in Australia are no longer abundant, so to find fresh, high-quality fruit at this time, traders like her have to go to markets further from the city center. Currently, large-sized cherries are no longer available in Australian markets, as most of the fruit at this time is old and less fresh.

"The most important thing about cherries is that they must be fresh and delicious. I try to find the freshest ones for my customers, so the price is a little higher," she said, adding that a 2 kg box of cherries (30-32 mm) currently costs around 15-1.6 million VND.

Hundreds of tons of Chilean cherries were also imported by supermarkets to meet the demand for Tet (Lunar New Year) shopping in the Year of the Snake, with consumption reaching 80%. Supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City are still importing more goods to meet shopping demand in the days leading up to Tet.

Currently, the market offers many varieties of imported cherries from Canada, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand in various sizes. In addition to the usual types, this year there are also limited quantities of organically grown cherries, which are also in high demand.

Cherries are expensive this year due to reduced supply and high demand. Imports from Australia sold out the fastest because production in that country has decreased as many growers have reduced their planting area.

Cherries imported from the US, which typically compete with those from Australia and New Zealand, were out of season at the end of last year, causing import prices from other countries to rise. Despite the high price, cherries remain a popular choice for personal enjoyment or as gifts.

LA (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/can-tet-cherry-nhap-khau-gia-cao-van-dat-hang-403985.html