Tuần Giáo commune, one of the largest macadamia-growing areas in the province, is notably experiencing this issue. Particularly in Phủ village, where about 90 households contributed nearly 70 hectares of land for joint planting with a company. After the company went bankrupt and ceased operations, the management and care of the macadamia trees were left unattended. Fearing they would lose everything, many households, along with outsiders, rushed to harvest macadamia nuts while they were still unripe.

Mr. Lò Văn Tươi, Head of Phủ village, expressed regret: “The macadamia trees have already been stripped of their fruit. This is only the beginning of the harvest season. Normally, the nuts ripen in August or September, which is when they have the highest economic value. But starting in July, many villagers and even outsiders flooded in to pick them all.”

He recalled: “Before that, when the nuts were still small, we held a village meeting to agree that each household would help protect the macadamia areas according to their contributed land share. We emphasized not to harvest early but to wait until the nuts matured. But that didn’t work. Many families rushed to pick them, and traders came to buy directly.”

It is known that properly timed fresh macadamia nuts (with green shells) currently sell for VND 40,000-50,000 per kilogram, while shelled macadamia nuts can fetch over VND 100,000 per kilogram on the market. In contrast, unripe macadamia nuts sell for just VND 5,000-7,000 per kilogram, peaking at only VND 9,000-10,000 at best.

This situation isn’t limited to Tuần Giáo. In other areas, similar cases have been reported. Mr. Cà Văn Hòa from Lọng Bon village, Thanh An commune, who invested in over 1 hectare of macadamia trees, shared: “Last month, traders came to buy immature nuts. At first, the price was VND 9,000-10,000 per kilogram, but then it dropped to VND 6,000-7,000. I only sold a small amount from thinning the trees for household use. It’s frustrating to see so many households harvesting in bulk.”

Mr. Hòa explained: “Unripe nuts shrink when dried, taste slightly bitter, don’t keep well, and are only suitable for making nut milk or eating fresh. Meanwhile, the price gap between unripe and mature nuts is significant. Selling early means lighter weight, lower prices, and minimal economic return. All the care we put in ends up being wasted for such a low profit.”

More concerning than the low prices, however, is the impact on the overall reputation of Điện Biên’s macadamia products. “Some consumers now think our macadamia is cheap and low quality, which diminishes the perceived value of the real product. There have even been cases where, when we sell mature, high-quality nuts, buyers complain that our prices are too high compared to the cheap, immature ones they previously saw,” added Mr. Hòa.

Macadamia is a high-value crop, but if not harvested and marketed properly, it can become a disappointment for both growers and consumers. Returning to Tuần Giáo, despite efforts from local authorities and the commune police to raise awareness and urge residents to wait, they were unable to prevent the widespread early harvesting.

Awareness campaigns alone are not enough. The root of the problem lies in the unresolved relationship between businesses and local farmers. The issue of “premature selling” of unripe macadamia is a complex challenge requiring urgent and coordinated action from government authorities, companies, and the farmers themselves. On the other hand, the macadamia market must be better regulated. The collection and mass sale of unripe nuts, price undercutting, and disorganized trading must be addressed strictly to avoid repeating the vicious cycle of “early harvest - low price - lost value.”