Pomelo farmers sour on falling prices

Nam Roi pomelo growers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces of Vinh Long, Soc Trang and Ben Tre are suffering after a sharp drop in prices over the last few days.

Nguyen Thanh Duoc, secretary of My Hoa Commune’s Party Committee in Vinh Long Province’s Binh Minh District, said the fruit has been selling at VND2,000 to 3,500 (US$0.11-0.2) per kilogramme over the last few days, nearly half the price posted last year.

The fall has been attributed to a bumper harvest and dropping domestic and export demand.

Tran Van Sang, head of the My Hoa Nam Roi Pomelo Co-operative in Vinh Long Province, said that the co-operative every day supplied about six tonnes of the fruit to markets at home and abroad, at prices ranging from VND2,200 to VND5,000 per kilogramme.

The co-operative is able to get higher prices for its fruit because its members follow the internationally recognised global Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard.

The Vinh Long People’s Committee has asked the provincial agricultural authorities to assist farmers in growing fruit that meet the GAP, building trademarks and promoting exports to ensure stable demand for the fruit.

VietNamNet/VNS

Tags: Vietnam agriculture, Vietnam Pomelo