Nearly a million dong per kilo of Taiwanese apples

This is one of the most expensive green apples today, but still attracts consumers thanks to its rich sweetness, crunchiness and milky aroma.

According to a survey, Taiwanese apples are being sold at high-end imported fruit stores in Ho Chi Minh City for VND850,000-995,000 per kilogram, double the price of the same period last year. An employee at a store in District 1 (Ho Chi Minh City) shared that they import about 300 kilograms each time and mainly serve high-income customers who buy them as gifts.

"Because it is off-season and limited in quantity, the price is high. The store is selling it for 995,000 VND per kilo, including 7-8 fruits, round and even," said this employee.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen, owner of a high-end fruit chain in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi - a direct importer of milk apples by air - said that the main season for Taiwanese milk apples lasts about the first 3 months of the year. At the end of the year, most of them are off-season, and each batch this unit imports 500-600 kg.

According to Ms. Huyen, the price of Taiwanese milk apples is high due to their size, color and quality, "10 fruits are like 10". While Vietnamese apples are often bland, Taiwanese apples are crispy, sweet and have a distinctive aroma.

Taiwanese milk apples stand out with their shiny, emerald green skin, each fruit measuring up to 100 grams. They are meticulously cultivated, from wrapping each fruit in plastic bags to avoid insects to hand-harvesting to ensure no damage. In addition, each milk apple tree only has a certain amount of fruit to provide enough nutrition for the fruit.

This type of apple is mainly grown in southern Taiwan such as Kaohsiung and Pingtung, where the climate is warm and there is abundant sunshine all year round. This fruit is popular in the domestic market and exported to many Asian and European markets, increasing its value.

"Many years ago, apples were about 450,000 VND per kilogram, but now the import price has skyrocketed," said Ms. Huyen.

Meanwhile, Ninh Thuan green apples have similar characteristics to Taiwanese milk apples - only costing 30,000-50,000 VND per kg. In Vietnam, green apples are widely grown, have abundant supply, low production costs, so the price is much cheaper.

Explaining this difference, the leader of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association said that Taiwan has built a solid brand for high-end fruits. This country is famous as the "king" in plant variety production. Taiwan's advanced agricultural science is decades ahead of Vietnam, helping product quality meet global standards.

In addition, the strict production process and limited planting quantity make the product have superior quality, eye-catching design and high-class position in the market.

In contrast, Vietnamese green apples are often grown en masse, without attention to quality control, resulting in inconsistent appearance. However, domestic products still meet the needs of the general consumer thanks to their low price and easy accessibility.