Over the last couple of years, farmers in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La, Dien Bien and Ha Giang provinces flocked to grow pineapples to export to China. Now however, they have had to dump pineapples because the price of pineapples dropped to VND3,000 (€0.12) per kilogram.
In Lao Cai Province, the area of pineapples was around 1,180 hectares at Muong Khuong, Bao Thang and Bat Xat districts and Lao Cao City with total production of up to 25,300 tons.
According to Mr To Manh Tien, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lao Cai Province, pineapples have been ready for harvest. Then the price of pineapples dropped off drastically because China stopped buying them.
Earlier, Chinese traders bought pineapples at high prices, giving farmers a profit of around VND100 million (€3,800) per hectare. As a result, farmers increased the pineapple growing area, exceeding the province’s agricultural plan.
Mr Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lao Cai Province, told sggpnews.org.vn that not only pineapples but bananas also have been facing excessive supply and dropping prices.
