Soaring purchasing power for fresh fruits amid abundant supply

The Lunar New Year (Tet) market marks the peak season for consuming fresh fruits, vegetables, and processed agricultural products, both for use and as Tet gifts. Accordingly, for a whole month before Tet, gardeners have focused on tending to their fruit trees, ready to supply the market with the freshest, most beautiful fruits.

Booth displaying Minh Hung ward's signature fruit products. Photo: B. Nguyen

Every year, the retail market for fresh fruits, especially those used in the five-fruit tray for Tet, usually only becomes vibrant around the time of conducting the Kitchen God worshiping ritual. However, in the lead-up to Lunar New Year 2026, consumers have proactively started their Tet shopping earlier, and even fresh fruits and specialty products for Tet have been brought to the market earlier to meet this demand. The supply of Tet goods is abundant, prices are quite stable, and there is no need to worry about "virtual" price hikes during the Tet peak.

Gardeners celebrate Tet early

According to traders who purchase and sell fresh fruits, in previous years, the market for fresh fruits consumed heavily during Tet would only start to pick up after the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month. Fruits that are strongly consumed during the Lunar New Year include: pomelos, and various fruits used extensively in the five-fruit tray... usually, purchasing power would only increase sharply in the days leading up to Tet. But for the Lunar New Year 2026, right after the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month, fresh fruits for Tet shopping, especially gift products, have flooded the markets, supermarkets, and stores. Consumers have also proactively bought fresh fruits as Tet gifts earlier, instead of waiting until the days leading up to Tet as before.

Among them, the Tet pomelo market started earlier than in previous years. Especially, this year's Tet pomelo season, the Tan Trieu pomelo specialty region consumed Tet pomelos earlier than in previous years. Nguyen Minh Vuong, Director of Vuong Huong Trading and Service Co., Ltd. (in Tan Trieu commune) compared: In the same period last year, many pomelo gardens had not yet been harvested due to slow purchasing power. That’s why as Tet approached, many pomelo gardens were still heavily laden with fruit, anxiously waiting for buyers. But this year, many gardeners have already finished harvesting their Tet pomelos. The reason is that consumers proactively ordered Tet pomelos early to choose good fruits. Gardeners are also happy because they had an earlier Tet harvest, achieving good profits instead of anxiously waiting until the last minute as in previous years.

Not only are fresh fruits supplied to the domestic market in high demand and at good prices, but the export fresh fruit market is also experiencing a good season and good prices. In the past 2 weeks, export banana prices have increased sharply, at times, gardeners sold them for more than 20,000 VND per kg, double compared to the same period last year. The increase in banana prices right before the Lunar New Year 2026 makes banana farmers happy because they are welcoming a successful new year.

Dau Quang Phuc, a banana farmer in Bau Ham commune, shared: Export banana prices are currently at a record high in recent years. With this price, banana growers achieve very high profits. Right during the Lunar New Year 2026, banana prices increased sharply, so banana farmers are very happy to welcome a prosperous and joyful Tet.

Abundant supply, no worries about Tet prices

Due to the leap year with erratic weather conditions, the supply of some fruits heavily consumed during Tet such as mangoes, pomelos, custard apples... in the province has decreased compared to the same period in previous years. But overall, the fresh fruit market serving the Tet shopping needs of the people is still very abundant, and selling prices remain quite stable for consumers.

The total growing area of fruit trees in the province is nearly 99,500 hectares with a total output of over 1.6 million tons. Among them, fruit trees are the main crops in many localities with large areas such as: bananas, pomelos, mangoes...

Although in high demand for Tet pomelos, the prices this year only increased slightly compared to the same period last year. Particularly, specialty pomelos for Tet display, such as the sweet pomelo variety, are priced from 700,000 to 1.2 million VND per dozen. Green-skinned, pink-fleshed pomelos sold directly from the orchard cost 30,000-35,000 VND per kg. At these prices, pomelo farmers are earning good profits.

Dinh Thi Trang, Vice Chairwoman of the Nghia Trung Commune Farmers' Association, stated: "Currently, many fresh fruits are being harvested in the commune, such as pomelos, custard apples, cantaloupes, star apples, etc. During Tet, the trade of fresh fruits is more vibrant than usual, but prices have only increased slightly compared to before. Specifically, cantaloupes are currently sold at the orchard for about 25,000 VND per kg, beautiful green-skinned pomelos for Tet display cost about 30,000 VND per kg, and other varieties range from 10,000-15,000 VND per kg."

This year, many orchards experienced a poor mango harvest for Tet, but there is no shortage or price surge for this item. Nguyen Dung, Director of Xuan Truong Mango Agricultural Service and Trade Cooperative (Xuan Loc Commune), commented: "With over 60 hectares specializing in mango cultivation, focusing on the specialty Hoa Loc sand mango variety, the area attracts many traders for purchase every Lunar New Year. This year, due to erratic weather conditions, the Tet mango crop was poor or harvested a month early before the Lunar New Year. Consequently, only a few mango orchards are currently being harvested, with a yield of 1-2 quintals. Although the supply is low, traders are collecting Hoa Loc sand mangoes at the orchard for only about 40,000 VND per kg, which is dozens of thousands of VND per kg lower than the same period last year. The reason is that despite the poor harvest in this region, many other provinces and cities had good yields, so the market does not lack supply."

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha