Vietnam's fruit market sees extreme price fluctuations: limes, durian, and dragon fruit prices reach new highs, while oranges at 2 cents per jin go unnoticed.

Seedless limes planted in the Ben Luc region of Xining Province, Vietnam, have reached a historical high in purchase prices at 2.9-3 million Vietnamese Dong/kg (approximately 7.7-8 Yuan/kg), which is four times the price of the same period last year. A local fruit farmer explained that they planted 2 hectares of limes, with an average yield of about 16 tons per hectare. After deducting the costs of fertilizers, pesticides, and labor for harvesting, the profit per hectare this season is nearly 100 million Dong (approximately 27,000 Yuan). The planting area of seedless limes in the Thanh Loi, Ben Luc, and Luong Hoa regions of Xining Province exceeds 4,000 hectares. The quality of the local limes has now reached the Vietnamese GAP and global GAP standards, making them eligible for export to the Dutch and Asian markets. Tay Ninh Province leads in fruit planting areas in the Mekong Delta region, and many buyers are busy purchasing durian in local orchards, paying deposits for durians that will be harvested after the Lunar New Year. Over the past half-month, the purchase price of A-grade gold pillow durians has reached 9-11 million Dong/kg (approximately 24-29.4 Yuan/kg), with a profit of 4-5 million Dong/kg. The price of Ri6 durians has also remained stable at 5.5-7 million Dong/kg (approximately 14.7-18.7 Yuan/kg), with a profit close to 3 million Dong/kg. A fruit farmer said that the seawater intrusion came late this year and did not reach a deep level, and the closure of water gates ensured sufficient freshwater supply, making the quality of durians excellent. Like seedless limes and durians, yellow dragon fruits also saw a sharp price increase at the end of the year, with purchase deposits before the Spring Festival reaching 6-8 million Dong/kg (approximately 16-21.4 Yuan/kg). Due to its unique appearance and the high demand for New Year decorations, the profit from yellow dragon fruits is quite high, and its planting area is rapidly expanding in Tay Ninh Province and Xining Province. Unlike the high prices of limes, durians, mangoes, and yellow dragon fruits, the price of oranges in Vinh Long Province has continued to plummet, currently hitting rock bottom. In some areas, the purchase price has fallen below 2,000 Dong/kg (approximately 0.5 Yuan/kg), yet merchants are still unwilling to purchase them. In Hieu Thanh, the largest orange-growing area locally, many ripe fruits are still hanging on the branches and cannot be harvested. Wholesalers explained that oranges are not popular during the New Year because consumers prefer fruits like grapefruits, coconuts, and mangoes that are more visually appealing. Oranges are mainly used for juicing, which leads to slow sales. The orange planting area in Vinh Long Province is close to 24,718 hectares, and the rapid expansion of the area has led to an oversupply, with prices far below the production cost of 6,000-8,000 Dong/kg. Currently, the selling price of first-class oranges is only 4,000 Dong/kg, while the purchase price for orchards that have been flooded is as low as 1,000-2,000 Dong/kg, and some are even as low as 300 Dong/kg.