While kumquats are having a good harvest, peaches are still waiting for the right weather.

With just over 20 days left until Lunar New Year, peach growers are still apprehensive about the unpredictable weather at the end of the year, while kumquat orchards in the outskirts of Hanoi are already ripe and ready for the holiday.

Kumquats are having a good harvest.

We arrived at the kumquat orchards in Quang Ba, Tu Lien (Hanoi) on the morning of January 16th, when the weather in Hanoi had already started to warm up. The Tet atmosphere here was truly "rich" as the kumquat trees were ripe, just waiting for customers to come and "take them away". The orchard owners were all delighted that although the weather this year has been unpredictable, they are now certain of a bountiful kumquat harvest with good prices.

Peach growers are still waiting for the weather.

This year, kumquat growers are leaning towards investing in "affordable" varieties, with ornamental kumquats accounting for only a small portion. This is because buyers are less selective in these difficult times. A kumquat garden owner in Quang Ba, Tay Ho, said: "Learning from last year, when ornamental kumquats were expensive, customers often chose ordinary varieties, and many gardens invested too much and didn't make a profit. During this period of high prices, we only dare to invest in affordable varieties to be on the safe side."

Despite a bumper crop, kumquat prices this year are expected to be higher than last year. According to kumquat orchard owners, the cost of services such as care and transportation has increased, forcing them to raise prices. Currently, kumquat trees typically cost between 150,000 and 300,000 VND per tree, while the price of larger, shaped kumquats varies depending on the type and customer demand. As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, the number of customers visiting the orchards increases, leading to further price hikes. “At this time of year, we usually have many customers placing orders, but this year the number is lower, and they aren’t as demanding as in previous years. Therefore, although we had a successful harvest, we’re not celebrating too soon because we’re still waiting for the number of customers and their investment,” one orchard owner stated.

Peach prices are rising.

In the Nhat Tan peach orchards, growers are still anxiously awaiting the weather and cannot predict the outcome, as most orchards are still in the budding stage. Some trees have already produced their first blooms. However, the recent severe cold spell has significantly affected the quality of this year's peach blossoms. Many orchard owners complain that many buds have withered or turned black due to frost, and the buds are sparser. Meanwhile, some early-blooming flowers will quickly fade, making the peach trees less attractive. Many beautiful, pre-ordered peach trees are also facing similar problems.

Due to the inconsistent weather conditions this year, the quality of peach blossoms is not as good as in previous years, so prices are expected to be quite high. According to garden owners, to buy a beautiful peach blossom tree for Tet (Lunar New Year) this year, customers will have to spend between 500,000 and 1,500,000 VND, with some ornamental trees costing up to tens of millions of VND. However, the high price of "premium" peach blossoms is not a major concern, as customers are usually wealthy individuals who are willing to spend a large sum of money to own a beautiful tree for Tet.

Tuan Viet, the owner of a peach orchard, said: "This year, the prices of fertilizers and services have all increased. To have a peach tree to sell during Tet, we have to spend a considerable amount on labor for care and transportation. With the current situation of peach trees, we growers are facing difficulties. Only by increasing the selling price can we hope to recover those costs."

As the race to the finish line approaches, peach orchards in Nhat Tan are focusing on providing maximum care for their trees. Some orchards are pruning branches to stimulate bud growth and encourage faster budding. Others are beginning to wrap their trees in plastic to protect them from frost, preparing for upcoming cold spells. According to Huong Cong, the owner of a peach orchard: "This year's weather has kept us peach growers awake at night, constantly trying to find ways to cope. Before the cold season, we had to prepare for the possibility of early blooming, trying to delay it, but the late cold spells have followed one another, forcing us to still prepare with plastic and electric lights to warm the trees and encourage faster blooming." The constantly changing weather is causing peach orchard owners to worry about not having beautiful peach blossoms to sell for Tet. However, if the current rainy and humid conditions without frost continue, there is still hope for a successful peach season.

According to News - TH