Mr. Manh, who owns 100 6-year-old durian trees in Dong Nai, reported his orchard yielded about 5 tons of fruit this year, a 20% increase from last year. However, his Monthong durian sold for only 55,000 VND per kg, a 21% decrease compared to the same period and the lowest price ever.

"This price still yields a profit, but it's not substantial due to rising fertilizer and labor costs," he stated.

Beyond falling prices, many farmers worry about this year's fruit quality. Ms. Hanh, who owns over one hectare of durian in Dak Lak, decided to accept deposits from traders even before harvest, fearing prolonged rain would compromise quality.

"Monthong rarely drops below 60,000 VND per kg mid-season. This year's prices are unprecedentedly low. I'm concerned traders will cancel deposits if the fruit doesn't meet their requirements," she said.

Durian at an orchard in Can Tho. Photo: Manh Khuong

Not only are growers facing pressure, but traders are also reducing their purchases.

Mr. Hoang, who specializes in buying durian in the Mekong Delta and Southeast regions, stated he collects only a few tons daily, about one-third of last year's volume. This is due to export businesses tightening quality standards.

"If we mistakenly purchase a substandard batch or if cadmium residues are found, the losses are significant. Therefore, this year we only dare to buy moderate quantities, with the rest sold domestically," he explained.

According to Mr. Hoang, the Mekong Delta harvest is nearing its end, with supply shifting to the Southeast region. However, this area has also experienced prolonged heavy rain, leading to unstable quality. Meanwhile, Dak Lak — a region consistently known for stable durian quality for many years — has not yet entered its main season.

Market surveys indicate that alongside price drops, export businesses are also tightening purchasing standards. Many warehouses only accept uniformly high-quality fruit, rejecting batches showing signs of waterlogging, immaturity, thick skin, or those not meeting appearance requirements.

Currently, Monthong is purchased at warehouses for 46,000-68,000 VND per kg, while Ri6 stands at 28,000-38,000 VND, representing a 20-30% decrease compared to the same period last year.

According to many farmers and traders, this is a rare instance of Monthong prices dropping significantly mid-season. This trend reflects a slowdown in export demand as fruit quality declines due to weather impacts.

Vo Tan Loi, Chairman of the Dong Thap Durian Association, stated that the main reason for the price drop is not increased supply but rather declining fruit quality.

He explained that prolonged rain has led to waterlogging in durian in many growing areas, with some regions reporting rates up to 30-40%. This reduces the volume of export-quality fruit. Ri6 is prone to waterlogging, while Monthong also shows many dry-textured fruits, making the selection of grade A goods (2.7 segments, 1,5-5 kg) increasingly stringent.

"With quality not guaranteed, China has proactively lowered purchase prices. Domestic traders are also hesitant to buy large quantities due to the risk of export goods not meeting requirements," Mr. Loi added.

Besides quality concerns, falling durian prices in Thailand have also pulled down the overall price level in Vietnam.

According to Mr. Loi, this year the durian industry faces a paradox: production has increased, but quality has declined. Many planted areas have entered their commercial phase, with young trees beginning to yield, leading to higher overall output than last year. However, adverse weather has reduced the proportion of export-standard fruit, forcing importers to tighten purchasing and lower prices.

The increasing demand for quality has also been a message repeatedly emphasized by China recently.

At a recent Vietnam-China Trade Forum in TP HCM, Ha Wei, a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, stated that Chinese consumers are increasingly concerned with quality, food safety, and traceability. He noted that quality inspection and quarantine are normal requirements in international trade. If businesses effectively control quality from the growing regions and fully meet import standards, the frequency of sampling at border gates can be reduced, shortening customs clearance times.

"The current trend is not just about increasing production but also improving quality to meet the market's rising demands," he concluded.

Thi Ha