Coconut prices are on the rise, while the volume of Thai mangosteen arrivals has increased significantly. In recent weeks, several mainstream fruit products have experienced price hikes due to factors like reduced arrivals and escalating production costs, surpassing levels seen during the same period last year. Notably, imported oranges, grapefruits, raisins, Thai coconuts, and Chinese blueberries have seen notable increases in prices. Imported oranges, comprising American, Spanish, and Egyptian varieties, with American oranges dominating the market, have seen a notable price surge due to diminished arrivals and increased production costs. Compared to the previous year, American oranges have witnessed a price hike of 20 to 30%, resulting in slower sales. Meanwhile, Spanish oranges, which entered the market earlier, are currently scarce, driving prices upwards.
Left: Israeli grapefruits; right: Spanish oranges
The market price of South African lemons has recently declined among other imported citrus. Merchants note the current price is relatively low but anticipate an increase in the future. However, the arrival of Israeli grapefruits has been delayed due to ongoing conflicts, leading to a current selling price of approximately ￥260-￥270 per piece, marking a 20% increase compared to previous years. Despite the higher price, the quality of the Israeli grapefruits this year is not as high as in previous years, with scarcity rather than superior quality driving the price.
Left: Australian Sweet Globe green grapes; Right: Australian seedless red grapes
Australian grapes have seen a slight increase in price this week. While some merchants observe that the sweetness of Australian Sweet Globe grapes this week is not as pronounced as last week, prices have still risen compared to the previous week. This rise is attributed not only to reduced production but also to various increased costs in Australia, contributing to an overall higher pricing trend this season.
Left: Thai mangosteens; Right: Thai young coconuts
Blueberry prices rebounded this week after two weeks of decline, as arrivals decreased. The price for 15mm+ blueberries now stands at about ￥90-￥95/piece, representing an increase of ￥10-￥15 compared to last week.
In Southeast Asia, Thai coconut prices have continued their upward trend in recent weeks. Merchants attribute this to annual price hikes typically observed from late March to the end of April, driven by reduced arrivals due to origin shortages and the Songkran Festival holiday. This year, prices for young coconuts have surged from ￥70/piece to the current ￥95/piece, with expectations for this trend to persist until the end of April.
Imported durians
While the overall volume of imported durians has increased, the delayed ripening of Monthong durians has led to lower arrivals compared to previous years. Consequently, many merchants are emphasizing alternative varieties such as Chanee and Puang Manee, or opting for Monthong B fruits.
Meanwhile, Thai mangosteen arrivals have increased this week, resulting in a significant drop in price from the previous range of ￥270-￥280 per piece to approximately ￥240 per piece. This drop has also impacted the pricing of Indonesian mangosteens, which have seen a decrease of about 25%-30% due to increased market acceptance of Thai mangosteens.