Ha Giang Stone Apple: Super Chinese goods scam rampant in the North

25,000 - 40,000 VND/kg, crispy, sweet, rock apples are advertised as Ha Giang specialties, trusted by many people for decades. However, authorities confirm that Ha Giang does not grow rock apples. This type of apple has long been imported from China.

At Long Bien wholesale market at 6am. Although the market is almost closed, it is not difficult to see large trucks still parked in the fruit area (next to the vegetable area) loaded with this type of apple and unloading goods for small retailers.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, a wholesaler at the market, said that the type of rock apple he is selling is Chinese apple, which retailers still call Ha Giang rock apple to deceive consumers.

“I don’t know when this type of apple was imported to the market, but I have been selling fruit here for more than ten years. Every year when this season comes, I import Chinese rock apples to sell,” said Mr. Tan. In this market, everyone knows that rock apples are from China, packaged in cartons with Chinese characters.

According to Mr. Tan, retailers all "self-proclaim" it as Ha Giang rock apples so that customers will trust them and buy more.

Traders at the wholesale market and authorities both confirm that rock apples originate from China.

The leader of the Department of Cultivation (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ha Giang) also confirmed that no locality in this province grows this type of apple.

According to the leader, the rock apples sold on the market are grown in temperate climates. Surveys in neighboring provinces such as Lao Cai, Son La, Dien Bien, where the weather is similar, but they also do not grow rock apples.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Head of the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Product Quality Management (Ha Giang), added that this type of apple is also sold quite a lot in Ha Giang province. However, businesses all confirm that this apple is imported from China.

Similarly, Mr. Phan Thong Quyet, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Thuan Commune, Quang Ba District (Ha Giang) said that Nghia Thuan also does not grow rock apples, but they are grown in some localities of China bordering the commune.

In fact, recently, in all markets and streets in Hanoi, the rock apple - advertised as a specialty of Quang Ba, Dong Van (Ha Giang) - is sold everywhere, priced from only 25,000 - 40,000 VND/kg; if bought wholesale, the price is only 15,000 VND/kg.

Specifically, at Nghia Tan market, Dong Tac market, Kim Lien or on streets such as Ho Tung Mau, Giai Phong, Nguyen Xien,... market stalls and carts are filled with a type of apple that traders still call Ha Giang stone apple.

Chinese rock apples labeled as Ha Giang are priced at 25,000 - 40,000 VND/kg.

According to observations, this type of apple has a red-purple skin, sometimes green in places due to being unripe. The apple is quite sweet, juicy and very crunchy. In particular, the seller confirmed that this apple is grown in the mountainous areas of Ha Giang province, so you can eat it with peace of mind, even eating the skin is fine.

Accordingly, this type of apple is quite popular, each trader can sell hundreds of apples per day.

Notably, rock apples are also causing a stir on the "online market" when the shop owners advertise them as a delicious, clean specialty of the highlands, along with the firm assertion that "this type of apple can only be found in Vietnam, and cannot be grown in China".

To gain customers' absolute trust, traders on the "online market" also post pictures of ugly, scarred apples and advertise that "the apples are clean, but they are eaten by worms, that's why they look so ugly."

As a result, housewives and office ladies competed to order, some even ordered bird's nest apples to eat or as gifts for friends and relatives.

An online seller named Dang Van Nam boasts that he sells over 2 tons of apples every day, half of which is retail, the rest is wholesale. The apples imported are sold out every day, never unsold.

According to VNN