These days, areca growing areas in Quang Ngai are bustling with harvest season. From early morning, traders drive through village roads, reaching each garden to buy fresh areca. The price of areca is about 20,000 VND/kg, helping growers have more joy after many times when the price of this agricultural product plummeted.
Mr. Tran Thanh Trung - residing in Dong Hoa village, Truong Giang commune - said that his family has about 100 areca trees in harvest season. According to Mr. Trung, areca trees begin to bear fruit from the 5th year after planting. From the 7th year, the yield begins to reach the highest. On average, each tree gives about 4 bunches each year, each bunch weighing about 4kg.
Areca nuts are easy to grow, easy to care for, and the investment cost is not high. Areca nuts are currently priced well, so growers have a good profit" - Mr. Trung said.
Quang Ngai is one of the localities with the largest areca growing area in the country, with a total area of more than 2,000ha, concentrated in Son Tay, Son Tay Thuong, Son Tay Ha, Dinh Cuong, Thien Tin communes...
Areca nut does not require much care, few pests and diseases, low investment costs and has a life cycle of decades. Usually, the price of areca nut from 8,000 - 10,000 VND/kg is already profitable for growers. Therefore, with the current price of about 20,000 VND/kg, areca nut is bringing significant income to many households.
However, the joy of areca nut prices also goes hand in hand with market concerns. Most fresh areca nuts in Quang Ngai are consumed to China, while prices in this market often fluctuate sharply.
Reality in recent years shows that the price of areca nuts is unstable. In 2024, the price of areca nuts in Quang Ngai at one point increased to a record level of 85,000 VND/kg. But by 2025, the price sometimes decreased to only about 8,000 VND/kg.
High prices have caused many people to expand the area of areca cultivation, but when prices drop sharply, many households fall into difficulties. However, because areca trees are easy to grow, cost-effective, and if the price is good, they bring high profits, many farmers still choose to maintain and expand the area.
Quang Ngai's agricultural sector recommends that people should not chase after market prices, destroy other crops to plant areca trees massively. According to the agricultural sector, if areca prices are stable and output is favorable, areca trees will help people have more income. However, this is a commodity that depends heavily on the Chinese market, so it contains many risks.
Farmers are advised to plant areca trees interspersed with suitable plants or take advantage of fence areas and vacant land for planting, instead of converting the entire area to areca trees.
The market is very unpredictable. If people destroy other crops to massively plant areca nuts, it will be very dangerous if the price of areca nuts drops sharply in the coming years" - the Quang Ngai agricultural sector warned.
