In Hon Dat commune (An Giang), Hoa Loc mangoes are being purchased by traders for 40,000-60,000 VND per kilogram, about 15,000-20,000 VND higher than at the start of the year and the same period in 2024. This price gives farmers a profit of 10,000-20,000 VND per kilogram, but yields have decreased.

Nguyen Thanh Do, director of the Hon Dat Hoa Loc Mango Cooperative, said that this year's off-season yield at his facility has decreased by about 20% due to heavy rains, which have affected fruit setting and reduced the percentage of high-quality fruit. "Many households currently have no mangoes to sell because they are preparing for the Tet harvest. The market supply is very limited, so prices have been pushed up," he said.

Another farmer in An Giang said that from August to October, high care costs result in a production cost of 35,000-40,000 VND per kilogram of mango. With low yields, only well-managed farms are profitable. In addition to weather factors, the decrease in mango acreage as many households switch to jackfruit and durian has also contributed to the scarcity.

Hoa Loc mangoes are sold at a shop on Le Duc Tho street, An Hoi Dong ward (TP HCM). Photo: Thi Ha

Hoa Loc mangoes are sold at a shop on Le Duc Tho street, An Hoi Dong ward (TP HCM). Photo: Thi Ha

In TP HCM, retail prices for Hoa Loc mangoes range from 80,000-140,000 VND per kilogram, depending on the grade. Many small traders say this is the highest price since the beginning of the year.

Hanh, the owner of a fruit shop in An Hoi Dong ward, said grade 1 mangoes are purchased at the wholesale market for 100,000-110,000 VND per kilogram, so the retail price is 120,000 VND.

According to Hoang Anh, the owner of a shop in Ba Chieu market, mangoes are currently the most expensive domestic fruit, surpassing even durian. As a result, she has had to import grade 2 and 3 mangoes to offer customers more choices. Organic mangoes must be pre-ordered at a price of 180,000-200,000 VND per kilogram.

A representative of Thu Duc wholesale market confirmed that the quantity of mangoes arriving at the market is currently very low due to the off-season, while purchasing power during the 7th lunar month has increased dramatically, pushing up prices. At high-end retail systems, Chu Chin brand Hoa Loc mangoes are sold for 189,000 VND per kilogram for the Mango King variety, higher than many imported varieties.

Regarding exports, Nguyen Dinh Tung, general director of Vina T&T Group, said orders to the US remain steady, but due to the low percentage of high-quality fruit, prices are even higher. "Hoa Loc mangoes are difficult to preserve and mostly have to be transported by air to maintain quality, which increases costs," he said, expressing hope that in about a month, when the main season begins, abundant supply will help boost exports.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VinaFruit), mango exports reached 265.9 million USD in the first seven months of the year, of which fresh mangoes accounted for 189.7 million USD, a 12.2% increase over the same period last year. Vietnam currently has more than 114,000 hectares of mangoes, mainly concentrated in the Mekong Delta, with key provinces including Dong Thap, An Giang, Son La, and Dong Nai. An Giang alone has more than 12,000 hectares of mangoes, with Cho Moi district accounting for half.

Thi Ha