Early season plum price chaos

The post-main plum season lasts from April to July every year. However, since late March, stores have been importing early-season plums for sale. This year, the scarce supply has caused the price of this fruit to increase, with different prices in different places.

Ms. Hoang Anh in Hai Ba Trung (Hanoi) said that the price of early-season plums has increased by 5,000-10,000 VND per kilogram compared to last year. The beautiful plums, with deep red fruit, each kilogram has about 25-30 fruits, cost 150,000 VND. The smaller fruit costs 90,000 VND per kilogram.

"Each time the store only imports 5-7 kg of the good quality, customers buy it all on the same day," she said.

Plums are sold on the online market. Photo: Plum Trading Association

In Ho Chi Minh City, early-season plums are more expensive due to transportation and preservation costs. Traditional markets sell regular plums for VND200,000 per kilogram. Large, bright red fruit with a white powdery coating costs more than VND300,000 per kilogram, but are scarce. Customers must order a week in advance at imported fruit stores to get them.

Ms. Minh, owner of an imported fruit store in District 1 (HCMC), said that plums transported to the South are mostly still green and more sour than sweet. Although they are among the most expensive domestic fruits, this product is still popular with many customers.

Not only in stores, but also on online markets, the price of early-season plums also fluctuates strongly. Each kilogram of this type is sold for between 120,000 and 200,000 VND, in some places it even goes up to 450,000-500,000 VND, more expensive than imported goods.

At Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market, only 2-3 wholesalers sell this fruit, with daily sales of several hundred kilograms. The wholesale price of early-season plums here ranges from 150,000 to 190,000 VND per kilogram, but it is still not enough to meet demand. A representative of the wholesale market said that by the end of April, when plum supply is more abundant, prices will decrease.

Son La - a famous plum growing area, with an area of ​​about 12,000 hectares, supplying 80,000 tons each year. This fruit is mainly grown in Moc Chau, Yen Chau, Van Ho districts, Son La city and Mai Son. According to gardeners, the early plum yield this year has decreased due to unfavorable weather.

Mr. Tran Van Hong, Director of Tien Dat Cooperative in Long Phieng Commune (Yen Chau, Son La), said that the early plum harvest this year was less than last year, only a few quintals per household, with a peak of only one ton. Gardeners who cultivate according to Global GAP (Global Good Practice) standards have better plum quality and higher prices. Beautiful plums are purchased at the garden for 95,000-100,000 VND per kilogram, while medium plums are about 60,000-80,000 VND.

"There are few plums in the early season, so all types are sought after, there is no inventory," Mr. Hong shared.

Plum is a famous fruit of the Northwest mountainous region, grown in many provinces and cities such as Ha Giang, Moc Chau, Sapa and most famously Son La. The advantage of plum is that it is fresh, crunchy, sweet and has a characteristic sour taste, so it is preferred over imported goods.

2023 is the first year that Son La Ruby plums - harvested from ancient plum gardens in Na Ka valley, Moc Chau district, Son La province - are exported to Hong Kong, then Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia. Last year, the export market for this plum variety was expanded, with 10 tons exported to Germany, England and France.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/loan-gia-man-hau-dau-mua-3350493.html