What direction for Binh Thuan dragon fruit?

The shrinking market, falling dragon fruit prices, and low quality are causing many difficulties for people.

Currently, dragon fruit growers in Binh Thuan have not yet had time to celebrate the new market of New Zealand, but they are facing the risk of falling dragon fruit prices and disease damage.

Since early May, the price of dragon fruit in Binh Thuan has shown signs of falling again. Currently, dragon fruit purchasing facilities are buying at prices ranging from 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg depending on the type. The quality of dragon fruit at the end of the electricity season has also begun to decline due to white spots and planthoppers appearing after the recent rains.

In addition, the situation of informal trade with China has shown signs of slowing down, many Vietnamese goods vehicles are stuck at the border gate, so purchasing businesses are only working at a moderate pace or temporarily stopping, not purchasing as strongly as before.

Thanh Trung Enterprise operates at a low level to help workers.

Ms. Huynh Thi Ngoanh, owner of Thanh Trung dragon fruit purchasing and exporting business, said that her business is currently operating at a loss so it is only operating at a low level. When she received the news that New Zealand market would allow dragon fruit imports, her business was not very interested because the standards were too difficult.

“Opening a new market is almost impossible because even 1 out of 10 businesses can hardly access it. Firstly, the standards are too high, and secondly, there is no money,” said Ms. Huynh Thi Ngoanh.

Meanwhile, throughout Binh Thuan province, people continue to plant new dragon fruit trees. Despite receiving negative information about the future of dragon fruit, many people still do not care because the immediate benefits are too great.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoang, Phu Xuan village, Ham My commune, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan said that at dragon fruit farms, people are still afraid of price reduction, but their lives depend on dragon fruit so they still grow it.

Mr. Nguyen Van Sau, the owner of a dragon fruit garden with more than 3,000 pillars but does not make electrical goods, only looking forward to the upcoming crop, said that at the beginning of the season, he hopes the price of dragon fruit will remain at 10,000/kg. Mr. Sau also hopes to have a new market to expand and develop dragon fruit.

The total dragon fruit area of ​​Binh Thuan province is currently over 20,500 hectares, of which 18,600 hectares are producing products. The addition of the New Zealand market is a good thing, but in reality, penetrating this market or other markets such as the US, Korea, Japan, Europe is very difficult because it is necessary to comply with clean production processes and irradiation, pest treatment by hot steam method...

Mr. Mai Kieu, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Binh Thuan province, said that currently, the concern of the departments and agencies in the province is how to deal with output, input and four affiliated parties to ensure farmers' livelihoods. The province is looking for new markets in the US, Japan, New Zealand... because currently 85% of dragon fruit is still exported to China.

The problem now is that in addition to finding new markets, localities need to pay attention to and adjust the dragon fruit acreage appropriately. Recently, localities in the province have also punished many households for planting new dragon fruit on rice fields...

In addition, Binh Thuan province needs to pay more attention to measures to improve the quality of dragon fruit, produce safe dragon fruit according to VietGAP, GlobalGap standards... Only then can the Binh Thuan dragon fruit brand reach far in the world market./.

According to vov