Lunar New Year ("Tet" in Vietnamese) is fast-approaching and Tu Lien kumquat and Nhat Tan peach blossom growers are expecting a profitable harvest.
A “real” kumquat tree is worth anywhere from VND2 million ($107) to VND6 million ($321) per unit, but the original prices range from merely around VND400,000 ($21) to VND1.5 million ($80).
Peach blossoms are particularly harvested for wealthier people, with a price tag anywhere from VND3 million ($160) to VND15 million ($800) per unit. We were amazed when we visited the Tu Lien peach blossom gardens on cold winter days to see so many ripe kumquat trees. Many gardeners were sure that the kumquat trees would be ripe this year.
Tu Lien kumquat trees are going to be ripe
Nearly all kumquat gardens are reserved and some traders have even bought entire gardens.
Nowadays, people in Hanoi aren't just buying the trees for Lunar New Year, but also for Christmas and the western New Year. The price at this times is anywhere from VND 700,000 ($37) to VND 3 Million ($160) per unit.
Kumquat gardeners watch weather forecast to wait for “a harvest”
Nguyen Van Cuong noted that dry weather and less rain are good to help kumquat trees grow, but it is difficult to nurse them.
“Kumquats fruits are not very big and the colour is not so good, but in general it promises a good harvest if the weather will continue the way it has until Lunar New Year. We are waiting for the market price to know about the profit.” added Cuong.
Currently, peach blossoms are budding in Nhat Tan village, Hanoi. “I have sold 100 peach blossoms within a month. The price is around VND3 million to VND5 million for young trees and VND15 million to VND20 million for old trees,” said Tuan, owner of 500 peach blossoms.
Cold weather is a very good condition to Nhat Tan peach blossoms
It is very difficult to grow beautiful peach blossoms, it requires a lot of experience and depends highly on weather conditions.
People in Hanoi are becoming increasingly sophisticated when it comes to collecting peach blossoms. Some are ready to spend millions on hiring gardeners to nurse their trees in gardens. However, they do not buy peach blossoms, they just hire growers to nurse trees. After the Lunar New Year occasion, they will return the trees to growers.
The rental price of this peach blossom is VND15 million ($800).
