On January 14, 2025, Phung Thi Mai, a sales assistant at a major fruit store in Dong Da District, Hanoi, advertised Chinese milk grapes with the assurance that they came with proper phytosanitary certification.

She promoted the batch as “firm and mature” yet offered at a reduced price of just 110,000 VND per package weighing 4.5–5 kg, equivalent to 22,000–24,000 VND per kilogram.

“This type of grape has been regularly stocked at our store since July last year. However, after news broke late last year about its detection of prohibited substances and pesticide residues in Thailand, we began attaching phytosanitary certificates with every sale,” Mai shared.

Milk grapes, regarded as a premium fruit and dubbed “aristocratic” by traders, have been widely sold in Vietnam over the past few years.

In 2024, they dominated markets with unprecedentedly low prices, ranging from 50,000–80,000 VND per kilogram, and in some cases, as low as 20,000–30,000 VND per kilogram.

These Chinese grapes, characterized by their large size, glossy green skin, crisp sweetness, and subtle milky aroma, have become a favorite among Vietnamese households.

However, in late October 2024, the Thai-PAN (Thailand Pesticide Alert Network) raised alarms about food safety concerns regarding milk grapes. Their tests revealed that 23 out of 24 samples contained harmful substances exceeding permissible levels. Nine samples were identified as imports from China, while the origins of the remaining 15 were unclear.

One sample contained pesticides banned in Thailand, while 22 others contained harmful chemical residues exceeding safety thresholds, along with traces of 50 different pesticides. Some of these pesticides are known to penetrate the grapes, extending their freshness.

Vietnamese inspections and market response

 
Following the safety concerns raised in Thailand, Vietnam's Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) initiated monitoring of Chinese grape imports.

Their 2024 inspections of 10 Chinese grape samples revealed no violations concerning pesticide residues under Vietnamese regulations. In 2023, 1 out of 77 samples (1.3%) showed non-compliance.

Despite the reassurances, many Vietnamese consumers remain wary of milk grapes. Store owners admit that sales have slowed, even with the inclusion of phytosanitary documentation.

Nevertheless, as the Tet holiday nears, milk grapes continue to flood both physical and online markets in Vietnam, often at rock-bottom prices.

Persistent demand for low-cost fruit

Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyet, a milk grape seller in Ha Dong, Hanoi, noted that despite decreased demand, supply remains steady. Both wholesale and retail sales enable her to sell over a ton of milk grapes daily, typically packaged in 4–5 kg bundles.

“Today, I received a batch of premium milk grapes with fresh stems, large glossy green fruit, and a crisp, lightly sweet milky flavor, priced at just 100,000 VND per package. Retail buyers pay 40,000 VND per kilogram,” Tuyet said, calling it the cheapest batch she’s ever sold.

Similarly, Mai revealed that her store’s sales of milk grapes, previously reaching 3–4 tons per day, have dropped to 2–2.5 tons since November 2024.

“While demand has slowed, milk grapes still outsell many other fruits because of their low price,” Mai explained. Unlike other products that see price hikes during Tet, milk grapes remain affordable, making them a popular choice for consumers.

Since the start of the milk grape season, hundreds of tons have been sold, Mai added.

Tam An