The precarious profession of climbing areca trees
(Baonghean.vn) - This year, the price of areca nuts has increased unprecedentedly, causing people in many localities in Nghe An to rush to trade areca nuts. The job of climbing areca nuts throughout the countryside brings in a good income, but also carries many potential risks.
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| Recently, the price of areca nuts has increased, causing people in many localities in Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, Tan Ky, Quy Hop... to rush to work as areca nut climbers and areca nut traders. Some communes such as Thuan Son (Do Luong), Thanh Nho (Thanh Chuong) have dozens of workers in this profession. Areca nut pickers often carry long poles to pick areca bunches. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Areca tree climbers often use a rope made of woven fabric or banana leaves called a “foot rope”. When climbing, they put the rope around their two feet, wrapping it around the areca tree to increase friction. For those who are proficient at climbing areca trees, they often climb “let go”, without any support tools and can move to another tree quickly. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Once you have climbed to the top of the areca tree, the next task is to choose the large areca clusters to pick. Just one strong pull and the areca cluster will leave the areca trunk. In places where the areca trees are densely planted, to avoid having to climb up and down many times, good areca climbers can climb to another tree by “screwing the top”, hugging this tree and swinging to another tree, picking the entire areca garden in just 1-2 ups and downs. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Those who do not know how to climb trees or are not good at climbing often stand at the base of the tree, or stand on a ladder and use a pole to pick up the areca bunch. Photo: Huy Thu |
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According to the workers, they not only buy areca nuts in the province but also go to other provinces. There are two ways to buy and sell areca nuts on the tree: buying the whole garden and buying by measuring, picking, weighing and then calculating the price. In the photo: Standing on the top of the ladder to pick areca nuts is quite precarious, just a little carelessness can lead to an accident. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| To prevent the areca nuts from falling and wasting time picking them up, areca pickers often design a pole attached to a sickle or iron hook along with a splint to hold the areca bunch to the pole after picking. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Mr. Tran Van Mao (46 years old) - a skilled tree climber in Thanh Nho commune (Thanh Chuong) said that he has been climbing areca trees and areca trees for many years, and compared to climbing areca trees, climbing areca trees is much harder, because every day he has to climb hundreds of trees. The hardship of climbing areca trees is not only about going far, climbing high, carrying heavy loads, climbing areca trees always has many potential risks. Accidents such as falling, falling due to broken trees, slipping on ladders, slipping on legs... are the biggest worries for people who climb areca trees and pick areca trees. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Recently, there have been many tragic accidents related to the areca climbing profession in the province. The most recent accident was on October 23, when Phan Quoc Huy (37 years old) in Thuan Son commune (Do Luong) was electrocuted while picking areca, causing him to be rushed to the emergency room in critical condition. He has now had both hands amputated and is being treated in the hospital with many serious injuries. Making a living is difficult, and the money earned from climbing areca trees is often exchanged for sweat and tears. Photo: Huy Thu |
| Stylish areca pickers in Thanh My commune (Thanh Chuong) can "transfer" the tree by screwing off the top. Video: Huy Thu |
