The soursop tea craze has caused the price of the fruit to double.

Recently, traders have been scrambling to buy up soursop fruit in anticipation of the craze for tea made from this fruit.

Soursop tea is becoming a sought-after beverage among consumers. In just a few months, this tea has appeared on the menus of many shops and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi , and is prominently displayed on advertising boards as a new item.

Soursop tea has become a new beverage trend in many establishments, from street vendors to cafes and large chains in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thi Ha

Each cup of soursop tea costs between 25,000 and 40,000 VND, depending on the size and type of shop. The owner of a tea shop in Ho Chi Minh City said that in just one month, their chain sold more than 3,000 cups of soursop tea.

This has driven up the price of the main ingredient, soursop (or prickly custard apple).

Ms. Loan, residing in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, said she regularly buys soursop to make smoothies, but was quite surprised that the price of this fruit increased twice in just two months. In March, each kilogram of soursop at the market cost only 35,000 VND, but at the beginning of April it was 50,000 VND, and now it is 80,000 VND per kilogram.

Observations at traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City show that soursop is sold in many fruit stalls. Ms. Hanh, a small trader at Xom Moi Market (Go Vap district), said that thanks to the soursop tea "trend," this fruit has become very expensive. "I imported it for 50,000 VND per kilogram, so I'm selling it for 60,000 VND," Ms. Hanh said.

Traders buying soursop in Quang Binh. Photo: Anh Tuan

As a fruit trader specializing in the Central Highlands, Ms. Thanh Mai used to buy custard apples directly from orchards for only 10,000 VND per kilogram, or even less, because the farmers refused to sell them at such a low price. But for more than a month now, people have been scrambling to collect them at prices ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 VND per kilogram.

"Recently, I gathered about 2 tons of soursop in Dak Lak , but it wasn't enough to supply my partners because they ordered 5 tons a week," said Ms. Mai.

According to fruit traders, soursop is being harvested in large quantities, leading many merchants to buy it in bulk, resulting in lower quality products. Many soursop fruits are picked before they are ripe, so when transported to Ho Chi Minh City, they often rot, become tough, and lose their sweetness.

Soursop, also known as prickly custard apple, has sweet and slightly sour flesh, and dark brown seeds. Vietnamese soursop is widely grown in the South and scattered throughout the South Central and Central Highlands regions.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, this product was previously proposed for inclusion in the priority list for negotiations with the US market. Export businesses in Vietnam have been selling the product in a semi-processed form (peeled, canned) or producing dried teas. These are currently popular products among international customers.

Thi Ha

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