Vietnam’s 53‑kg jackfruit captivates shoppers and social media

In Dong Mo market, Lang Son province, a 53‑kilogram jackfruit was sold for 500,000 VND after a local fruit vendor livestreamed the fruit being cut open. The video drew thousands of online viewers, prompting other market shoppers to stop, photograph, and comment on the unusually large fruit. The seller, Ngọc Lan, plans to re‑package the flesh into smaller boxes for customers and has already ordered another fruit that could weigh up to 60 kg.

Botanists note that jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is the world’s largest fruit‑bearing tree, with typical fruits weighing 10–25 kg and recorded extremes exceeding 50 kg. Its fruits grow directly from the trunk or large branches – a trait called cauliflory – allowing the tree to support the massive weight. Jackfruit is prized across Southeast Asia for its sweet, fiber‑rich flesh, edible seeds, and versatile timber.

The Lang Son spectacle highlights the cultural fascination with giant produce in Vietnam and its rapid spread through social‑media platforms.