Southern lemons flood Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - If in previous years, Nghe An lemons were harvested at this season, this year traders said the main market is lemons from the South.

Traders transport lemons from the South to Nghi Loc for consumption. Photo by Thu Hien

These days in Nghi Dien (Nghi Loc district), Nghi Kim (Vinh city), places specializing in selling lemons, traders are rushing to gather lemons at the commune to sell. It is thought that they are taking lemons from Nam Dan and Hung Nguyen to sell, but that is not the case.

According to a trader, lemons are purchased from the South, then sorted and sold in the province and the North. The reason is that due to the main lemon crop, Nghe An lemon farmers lost their harvest due to unsold lemons and falling prices, 1 kg of lemons cost only 3,000 VND, many households left lemons on the trees so there is no new lemon crop yet.

Lemons sold in Nghi Loc market are mainly brought from the South. Photo: Thu Hien

According to records, Southern lemons are large and juicy. With prices ranging from 17-20 thousand VND/kg, Southern lemons are currently priced 8-9 thousand VND/kg higher than local lemons. Due to long distance transportation, most Southern lemons sold at Nghi Loc market are no longer as fragrant as local lemons.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, Hamlet 5, Nghi Dien Commune, a lemon retailer at Nghi Loc Market, said: “Southern lemons are very expensive at the moment. Normally, local seasonal lemons cost 8-9 thousand VND/kg, but these lemons cost 17-20 thousand VND/kg. Due to the demand of the people, we serve them. Every day, I sell 30 kg of lemons, earning several hundred thousand VND.”

Research in the main lemon growing areas of Nghe An such as Hung Nguyen and Nam Dan shows that lemon production in these districts is very limited.

Mr. Phan Bui Nhi in Hamlet 10, Hung Yen Nam has 570 lemon trees. Last year, in the off-season, he harvested more than 3 tons of lemons and sold them for more than 50 million VND. However, due to the 2016 main-season lemon prices dropping dramatically, each kilogram of lemons was only sold for 1,500 - 2,000 VND. It was so cheap that many households did not harvest them and let the lemons ripen on the trees and fall off by themselves.

Lemons of households in Hung Yen Nam commune (Hung Nguyen) have not been harvested yet. Photo: Thanh Tam

Mr. Nhi said: “Last year’s main-season lemons were too cheap to harvest, and the fruit-growing period of the lemon trees was prolonged, affecting the yield of off-season and seasonal lemons this year. That is why the quantity of Nghe An lemons sold on the market this year is very small. The main-season lemons are now as big as a thumb and there are very few fruits, down 30-60% depending on the garden. If a household left the lemons on the trees for longer last year, the yield will decrease this year because the long fruit-growing period has affected the yield of the next crop.”

Hung Yen Nam and Hung Yen Bac communes in Hung Nguyen district have nearly 400 hectares of lemons. This year, both the fruit and the season lemon crops have reduced output, not enough supply at the present time.

The fact that "foreign" lemons are flooding the market while Nghe An is the land of lemons also leaves many thoughts for lemon growers and management agencies.

Thu Hien - Thanh Tam