Chinese ‘fairy’ peach sells well in Vietnam despite soaring prices

"This ‘fairy’ peach is pinkish red, crispy and sweet, weighs 350-400 grams, and is the most expensive Chinese variety in Vietnam," a trader in HCMC said, pointing out that the price is five to seven times more than regular varieties’.

Kieu Oanh, the owner of a fruit shop in the city’s Tan Binh District, said the fruit is selling like hotcakes. "This week I imported about 100 boxes of high-class peaches (two kilograms each), all of which had been pre-ordered by customers."

Lanh, who also has a shop in the city, in Binh Thanh District, said the peach season lasts no more than one and a half months, and this year supply is lower since China has prioritized domestic consumption over exports, meaning higher prices.

According to traders, the prices will decrease in the next two weeks when the peach season is at its peak.
In Vietnam, other varieties of Chinese peaches are sold at much lower prices of VND7,000-50,000 per kilogram.

Data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs shows that in the first five months of this year Vietnam imported nearly $260 million worth of vegetables and fruits, mainly oranges, apples and peaches, from China.

Soon, when the Chinese plum and pear season begin, those fruits will flood the Vietnamese market.