About Strawberry Harvest Season in Vietnam
The strawberry harvest season usually lasts from November to April of the following year. Therefore, we are currently approaching the end of the season.
A market survey in Hanoi shows that these days, strawberries from Son La province can be found everywhere, from markets, retail stores to online platforms.
To attract customers, sellers have put up strawberry advertisements for Moc Chau strawberries with super low prices of only 25,000 VND per 500-gram box. However, the survey shows that strawberries are divided into boxes ranging from 25,000 to 80,000 VND per 500 gram.
Mr. Minh Tien, a strawberry seller in Co Nhue, Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi, stated that the VIP size is the most expensive at 80,000 VND per box and it contains the largest strawberries. However, the most preferred options among customers are the small-sized strawberries priced at 30,000 or 40,000 VND per box. He sometimes sells 2 tons of these strawberries in a day.
In addition to selling strawberries on the sidewalk, Mr. Tien also offers online delivery service. He noted that customers prefer to buy small-sized strawberries as they have a stronger taste.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Nguyet Minh from Cau Giay, Hanoi, said she recently bought 10 kg of strawberries to make syrup. “Strawberries are currently priced reasonably and they are nutritious, so I have to buy them right away,” she said.
According to Hoang Tuyet, a strawberry wholesaler and retailer in Moc Chau, Son La, the large-sized strawberries are sold at 90,000 VND per kg, while the small-sized ones are sold at 70,000 VND per kg. Meanwhile, strawberries of medium size have prices ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 VND per kg.
Speaking with a reporter from Người Lao Động Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Van Nam – Director of the Xuan Que Strawberry Cooperative in Na Coi commune (Mai Son, Son La) – said that so far this season, the cooperative has harvested and sold about 1,000 tons of strawberries at an average price of 30,000 to 100,000 VND per kg. Supermarkets account for about 10% of the cooperative’s sales. The rest is distributed by the cooperative to traders in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces.
Sharing about this year’s strawberry season, Mr. Nam expressed his enthusiasm, stating that although this year’s yield is lower than last year’s, the prices have remained stable. This has helped farmers earn revenues ranging from 150 to 200 million VND per hectare.
Currently, the Xuan Que Strawberry Cooperative has 11 members and approximately 60 hectares of strawberry plantations.
In recent years, many farmers in Son La have established strawberry farms combined with experiential tourism. When visiting these farms, tourists can freely choose and pick their favorite strawberries. These models have generated much higher value compared to traditional methods of simply growing strawberries for selling.
Statistics show that Son La province currently has over 400 hectares of strawberry plantations, producing more than 3,000 tons of strawberries annually. The main areas for strawberry cultivation are Moc Chau, Yen Chau, and Mai Son. There are 20 cooperatives involved in the production and business of fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and strawberry syrup. Fresh strawberries account for 80-90% of the total production.
According to Mr. Nam, in recent years, the strawberry cultivation area in Son La has been expanding rapidly.
Therefore, if production is not tightly controlled in terms of quality and if processing is not promoted, the strawberry industry may face the risk of “seasonal oversupply and price depreciation,” and even loss of consumer trust.
Currently, many consumers still have concerns about the origin and quality of the strawberries being sold extensively on sidewalks, while sellers always claim that these products are safe.
In particular, without focusing on building a brand, Son La strawberries may lose out in competition with Chinese strawberries even in the domestic market. Or many strawberry products may be sold without clear origins under the label of “Moc Chau” strawberries.
It is worth noting that the Department of Science and Technology of Son La is currently in the process of registering the “Son La strawberries” trademark according to the regulations of the Intellectual Property Law. With trademark protection, the department plans to build and implement a certification management system for the trademark.
At the same time, by meeting quality standards, Son La strawberries are expected to enhance their competitiveness, aiming for exports and added value for the products.
