Local residents are busy to prepare for ornamental grapefruit trees for Tet.
Le Van Nhi, a grapefruit grower in Phuoc Thuan Commune, said that it was much more difficult to take care of ornamental grapefruit trees than usual. Farmers needed to select the appropriate varieties and then cross and put them in a pot in the 11th lunar month. Around 10 months later, the trees would be pruned. It requires care to ensure that the grapefruit ripen during Tet.
The ornamental grapefruits in Ninh Thuan
Ornamental grapefruits can pay well and are popular during the festive period so more local people have planted the fruit.
Each bonsai pot is priced between VND500-6 million (USD21.73-260.86), mainly depending on its shape.
Customers usually like the trees with ripened fruits and fresh leaves with buds which symbolise happiness and prosperity.
After several years of growing ornamental grapefruit trees, residents in A8 Ornamental Grapefruit Co-operative in Phuoc Thuan have lots of experience in getting the fruit to ripen at the right time. They also use frames to shape and protect the trees.
Le Ngoc Cuong, chairman of the co-operative, said 2,000 ornamental grapefruit pots of the locality had already been reserved.
According to Cuong, if taken care of properly the bonsai pots can live for 10 years.
