Pineapples in Nghe An province are ripening, prices are falling, and authorities are stepping in to find markets for farmers.

Pressure from the peak harvest has caused pineapple prices to plummet.

In late May, the pineapple-growing region of Quỳnh Thắng is bustling with activity from early morning. Before the sun rises high, groups of workers are busy cutting pineapples and carrying them down from the hills to the collection point. This year, the intense heat and high temperatures have caused the pineapples to ripen quickly and simultaneously, forcing farmers to race against time to harvest them before they become overripe and rot. However, right at the peak of the season, pineapple prices have plummeted, marring the joy of the harvest.

Mr. Ho Huu Yen's family in Hamlet 19/8, Quynh Thang Commune, has 7 hectares of pineapples that are entering the harvest season. To date, the family has harvested about 3 hectares, and the remaining area is still waiting for traders to come and buy them. According to Mr. Yen, the pressure to harvest has never been as great as this year because the pineapples ripen faster than usual while the selling price is low.

Not far away, Mr. Ho Ba Long's family in the same village is also busy with their 6 hectares of pineapples. To date, about half of the area has been harvested, but what worries the growers most is not the yield but the fluctuating prices. Pineapples cannot be left in the field for long and must be harvested quickly, but the sharp drop in prices leaves many households hoping only to "recover their investment."

According to local residents, at this time, Queen pineapples, a popular variety in Quynh Thang, are only being purchased by traders at around 4,500 – 5,500 VND/kg for fruits weighing 0.5 – 0.7 kg/fruit. In contrast, during the same period last year, the price ranged from 10,000 – 12,000 VND/kg. Thus, pineapple prices this year have decreased by about 40 – 50%, and at times even lower.

For the MD2 pineapple variety – a high-quality pineapple used for processing and export – the current price ranges from 7,000 to 9,000 VND/kg, a significant decrease compared to the previous price of around 17,000 VND/kg. This variety, with fruits weighing from 1 to 2.5 kg, has been widely cultivated by many households in Quynh Thang, who have invested in expanding their planting areas due to high economic value expectations. However, this year's price drop has caused considerable concern among many farmers.

Notably, while prices have dropped significantly, the investment costs for pineapple cultivation remain high. According to farmers' calculations, the cost of Queen pineapple seedlings alone is approximately 55 million VND/ha, while the MD2 variety costs around 120 million VND/ha. In addition, there are average fertilizer costs of about 60 million VND/ha, labor costs for land preparation, care, and weeding of about 16 million VND/ha, and over 11 million VND for materials such as plastic mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.

With such significant investment, the low selling price has significantly reduced farmers' profits. While in years with good prices, after deducting expenses, growers could earn hundreds of millions of dong annually, currently, with the common price around 5,000 dong/kg, each hectare of pineapples yielding about 35-40 tons only brings in revenue of about 175-200 million dong. After deducting expenses, the profit is only about 35-40 million dong per hectare.

Not only have prices fallen, but the quality and appearance of pineapples this year have also been affected by unfavorable weather and early-season pests and diseases. Farmers report that yellowing leaves and rotting buds have appeared in some areas, resulting in smaller, unevenly shaped fruits, reducing marketability. The average yield of Queen pineapples this year is only about 35-40 tons/ha, lower than in previous favorable seasons.

With prolonged hot weather causing pineapples to ripen quickly, resulting in a large concentration of production at the same time and plummeting prices, this year's pineapple season is putting unprecedented pressure on growers. And with harvesting heavily dependent on market demand, farmers' worries extend beyond simply harvesting the pineapples in time; they also need to sell them at a price that covers their entire season's expenses.

Authorities step in to help farmers overcome difficulties in selling their produce.

What worries pineapple growers most right now is not only the low price but also the much slower sales compared to last year. According to locals, pineapple sales still mainly depend on traders. When traders are slow to buy, growers have almost no options because pineapples must be harvested immediately when ripe and cannot be held back to wait for better prices like many other agricultural products.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, a pineapple trader in Hoang Mai district, said that her business consumes over 30 tons of pineapples daily from the Quynh Thang and Hoang Mai areas. However, this year's demand is slower due to the expansion of pineapple cultivation areas in northern provinces such as Thanh Hoa and Ninh Binh, leading to a significant increase in supply. "The distribution channels haven't increased their capacity, and the export market is still limited, so demand has decreased, affecting the farmers' sales," Ms. Tham shared.

While on the pineapple hillsides, the people of Quynh Thang are racing against time to harvest before the heat and worries about falling prices and slow sales, on another "front," the local government is also busy finding markets for pineapples - the locality's main agricultural product. Not only the specialized departments, but also the Party Secretary, Chairman, and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, as well as relevant departments and agencies, are directly involved in connecting and negotiating with businesses, processing plants, and distribution channels.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Thang commune, the entire commune currently has about 2,060 hectares of pineapple, of which about 1,340 hectares are currently being harvested. The amount of pineapple needing immediate harvest is approximately 1,150 tons, concentrated in hamlets 2/9, 19/8, 3/2, 26/3, Bac Thang, and village 12.

Mr. Khanh stated that, given the unfavorable market conditions and the premature ripening of pineapples due to the hot weather, the local authorities have prioritized preventing prolonged pineapple oversupply that could affect people's income. The commune government regularly updates the harvest volume in each hamlet, proactively connects with businesses and purchasing agents, and coordinates with specialized departments to resolve difficulties in consumption.

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The local authorities' perspective is to support the farmers with every possible solution, from connecting them with businesses to providing market information and creating the most favorable conditions for product consumption. In the long term, the commune also hopes to attract more businesses to invest in deep processing and expand the consumption linkage area so that pineapple cultivation can develop more stably.

Comrade Nguyen Quoc Khanh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Thang Commune

Faced with pressure to sell their produce, the local authorities proactively stepped in to connect with businesses that would consume the pineapples. Mr. Khanh said that on May 15th, when the Nghe An Export Fruit and Vegetable Processing Plant temporarily stopped purchasing, a large quantity of pineapples from local farmers faced the risk of being stockpiled. The commune government, in coordination with the Economic Department, contacted and worked directly with the plant's management. After discussions, from May 17th, the plant resumed purchasing for about two weeks to support farmers in selling their products. At that time, the estimated amount of pineapples to be harvested was approximately 1,800 tons. To date, the plant has purchased over 500 tons before stopping.

Currently, the local authorities are continuing to connect with Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company to expand distribution channels. According to the initial agreement, the company will purchase pineapples from the people at market price, ranging from 50-70 tons per day.

Amidst the pineapple-growing hillsides during harvest season, the concerns of pineapple growers extend beyond simply selling all their produce this season; they also worry about the long-term sustainability of the crop. With output still heavily reliant on middlemen and the market remaining unstable, farmers hope for more support in terms of scientific and technical expertise to develop high-quality pineapple varieties, appropriate credit policies, deferred payment options for supplies, and more sustainable distribution channels.