Wholesale mango price dynamics in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic

The traditional food supply chain has a dominant role in the Vietnam urban markets. Most fresh food sold to the urban consumer still goes through a wholesale market. For example, almost 32 93% of fruit retailers in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) purchased fruit from the wholesale markets. The increase in supermarkets, convenience stores, safe food stores, and e-commerce channels in urban areas has led to a rapid transformation in fruits and vegetables (F&V) distribution in Vietnam. However, the traditional supply chain - with the presence of wholesale markets and traditional wet markets -still plays a vital role in the Vietnamese food system (especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City). This study captures and analyses mango price information in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) wholesale markets from March 2020 to June 2021. The specific research objectives are 1) to map out the general mango trade information at the wholesale markets; 2) to track wholesale mango prices spatially and temporally; 3) to estimate the price differences of mangoes of different varieties, grades, locations and seasons; and 4) to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wholesale mango prices in Vietnam. We collected weekly mango prices from 20 wholesalers. Five wholesalers are from Long Bien market in Hanoi. Ten wholesalers are from Thu Duc market, the largest fruits & vegetables wholesale market of HCMC. And five wholesalers are from Binh Dien market of HCMC. We designed two checklists to collect general information on wholesale markets and weekly wholesale price data. Both faceto-face interviews and phone calls were used for data collection. This study finds that collectors are the main mango suppliers in the wholesale markets and vendors and stalls in wet markets are the primary buyers of wholesale markets. Mango prices, in general, reach peaks in December and January, and the lowest price is observed in March. Single fruit weight is the main criterion used for grading, while wholesalers also grade mangoes by other criteria such as shape, skin color, and ripeness. Cat Hoa Loc mango is the premium variety sold at the highest price and is most popular in the southern wholesale markets. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are more prominent and longer on Cat Chu and Cambodian Keo prices than on Cat Hoa Loc price. Compared to other varieties, Cat Hoa Loc mango has vast potential for further development in the domestic market in the future. However, given that Cat Hoa Loc mango was not sold at the Long Bien market, it is necessary for further research to examine the demand, willingness to pay, post-harvest storage, and transportation of this variety in the northern markets in order to develop southern Vietnam mango production further. The price information from our study could be used in cost and benefit analysis to evaluate the revenue gain from interventions that improve mango quality, change variety, or manipulate flowering time. The spatial and temporal dynamics of mango prices may also help the stakeholders in the value chain to make informed decisions.