Oranges fit for royalty, priced at 50,000 VND per fruit, are attracting customers during Tet (Lunar New Year).

(Baonghean.vn) - Xa Doai oranges - a specialty fruit once offered to the king in Nghi Dien commune, Nghi Loc district (Nghe An province) - with an average price of 50,000 - 60,000 VND per fruit, are still attracting customers during the Lunar New Year of Dinh Dau 2017.

A Xã Đoài orange tree laden with fruit has already received deposits from traders.

In the specialty orange growing area of ​​Xã Đoài these days, each orange costs from 50,000 to 60,000 VND, and sometimes even up to 80,000 VND per orange weighing only 250 grams.

Leading us on a tour of several households growing Xã Đoài oranges, Mr. Phạm Khắc Chiến - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghi Diên commune - said that Xã Đoài oranges are a particularly fragrant, sweet, and delicious variety, considered a famous "royal tribute" fruit in Nghệ An province, passed down for over 150 years and grown only in one place in Nghi Diên commune.

According to local orange growers, Xã Đoài oranges are characterized by their smooth, thin, and evenly peeled skin, and a delicate aroma. The flesh is a bright golden yellow, with a sweet, refreshing taste that is not sour, a quality rarely found in other orange varieties, making them a favorite among customers. Xã Đoài oranges typically bloom around the beginning of spring and reach their peak in November and December of the lunar calendar each year.

As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, many customers and traders from within and outside Nghe An province flock to Xa Doai to "hunt" for oranges to decorate the five-fruit offering tray, give as gifts, or eat during Tet. At this time, each orange costs between 50,000 and 60,000 VND, which is 15,000 to 20,000 VND lower than last year's Tet, but many orange orchard owners no longer have oranges to sell.

A Xã Đoài orange costs at least 50,000 VND per fruit.

The family of Mr. Phan Cong Huong (63 years old) is one of the households that grows the most Xa Doai oranges in Nghi Dien, with an area of ​​6 sao (approximately 0.6 hectares) of orchard land containing 200 orange trees. Most of the trees, laden with fruit, have been pre-ordered by traders who come directly to the orchard to place deposits and buy the entire tree more than a month in advance.

“In previous years, as Tet approached, customers from Hanoi, Vinh City, and even foreigners would visit the orchard to buy oranges, placing deposits in advance to use as Tet gifts and offerings. This year, the price of oranges is about 15,000 VND lower per fruit, but my family no longer has any oranges to sell to customers,” Mr. Huong said.

According to Mr. Huong, Xa Doai oranges are sold by the piece, not by weight. Each orange weighs about 250 grams and costs an average of 50,000 - 60,000 VND (equivalent to over 250,000 VND/kg). Last year during Tet, the orange harvest was bountiful and prices were high, bringing in nearly 200 million VND for Mr. Huong's orchard, an income 8-9 times higher than other crops.

Mr. Pham Khac Chien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghi Dien commune, Nghi Loc district, added that although it is a famous specialty orange variety with high economic value, the area planted with oranges is gradually shrinking due to land shortage and genetic degradation.

“Orange trees yield high economic returns, but orange growers are hesitant to invest heavily due to the lack of policies encouraging their development. In the rural development plan, we have a policy to convert 100 hectares of rice paddy land to orange cultivation to create a concentrated production area and develop a project for the conservation and development of Xa Doai oranges,” Mr. Chien said.

Nam Phuc