For tropical fruit importers, understanding the monthly seasonality of each agricultural product is key to building an effective procurement plan. Vietnamese supply, especially from Mekong Delta provinces such as Tien Giang, Long An, and Binh Thuan, has relatively stable seasonality. This article summarizes the main seasonal framework of five key products: dragon fruit, mango, durian, coconut, and longan, along with commercial notes for each period.
Dragon fruit (white flesh and red flesh)
Dragon fruit is available year-round thanks to off-season flowering induction techniques, but peak output typically falls between May and September. This is the period of most competitive farmgate pricing and abundant supply across sizes. From November to February of the following year, output declines and prices tend to be higher. Importers should place orders 3–4 weeks in advance for white-fleshed dragon fruit, and 4–6 weeks for red-fleshed if high Brix (14–16%) is required. Binh Thuan province produces fruit year-round, while Long An and Tien Giang focus on the main season.
Mango (Cat Hoa Loc, Cat Chu)
Hoa Loc sand mango has its main season from March to June, sometimes extending to July depending on the weather. This is when the fruit reaches its highest sweetness, with Brix typically ranging from 18–22%. Cat Chu mango has an earlier season, from December to March. For demanding markets such as South Korea and Japan, importers should place orders from February to allow time for VHT (vapor heat treatment) and quarantine. Note that post-harvest mangoes need to be processed quickly to maintain quality in refrigerated containers.
Durian (Monthong, Ri6)
Durian is the most distinctly seasonal product. The main season in Tien Giang and other Mekong Delta provinces typically begins in April and lasts through August. Monthong (Dona) durian is harvested mainly from May to July, while Ri6 can be staggered through September. For the Chinese market and emerging markets, importers need to place orders 6–8 weeks in advance to secure sufficient volume meeting export standards (2–3 kg fruit, golden flesh, aborted seeds). Note that frozen durian can be supplied year-round, making it suitable for long-term planning.
Coconut (Siamese coconut, pandan coconut)
Green Siamese coconuts and pineapple coconuts have a stable year-round supply thanks to their continuous growth characteristics. However, coconut water reaches its highest sweetness in the dry season, from December to April. This is the suitable time to order fresh drinking coconuts. For processed coconut products (coconut meat, frozen coconut milk), raw material supply is abundant from May to September. Importers should work with suppliers to confirm the size and thickness of coconut meat for each batch.
Longan (xuong longan, ido longan)
Longan has its main season from June to September, concentrated in Tien Giang and Long An. The yellow-fleshed longan (nhan xuong com vang) is the primary variety for export, with a Brix level of 18–20%. The longan season is typically short, lasting only 3–4 months, so importers need to plan orders early, 4–5 weeks in advance, to allow time for processing and shipping. Dried longan and frozen longan can be supplied year-round, suitable for off-season orders.
General notes for importers
When planning seasonal procurement, importers should consider the following factors: transit time from Vietnam to the destination market (typically 5–10 days depending on the port), quarantine requirements and VHT treatment, packaging standards (carton boxes, plastic trays, mesh bags), and VietGAP/GlobalG.A.P. certification. To optimize costs, orders should be placed at the beginning of the season when prices remain competitive and supply is not yet scarce. For short-season items such as durian and longan, early deposits help secure the desired volume and size.
TFIMEX supplies fresh and processed fruit from key sourcing regions, with quality control from orchard to container. To receive monthly price quotes and detailed service schedules, please contact export@tfimex.vn.
