Giant peach trees are being cut down in Nghe An province to sell during Tet (Lunar New Year).
(Baonghean.vn) - These days, all along the roads in Ky Son district, such as Muong Xen, Huoi Tu, Muong Long, Nam Can, Na Ngoi... everywhere is bustling with the buying and selling of large, original peach blossom trees for Tet (Lunar New Year). This year, the hobby of collecting large, original peach blossom trees with intact branches is still favored by the people.
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| Stone peach trees grow in high mountain regions with cold climates, so during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), many people seek them out to bring back to the lowlands. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| Out of hundreds of branches, only occasionally will you find a truly "giant" one. The price of a peach blossom branch is usually proportional to its size, shape, roughness, moss, buds, and new shoots. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| A resident of Na Ngoi commune (Kỳ Sơn district) brought home a peach blossom branch worth 10 million VND, blocking the entire road. The resident said that if it were transported to the town, the price could double. To obtain this branch, the entire tree had to be cut down, leaving only the stump. (Photo: Đào Thọ) |
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| One branch has a diameter of 40 cm. It takes 40-50 years to grow a peach tree like this. However, because of the high price, people are willing to cut it down to sell. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| To cater to the tastes of wealthy collectors, locals even uproot entire peach trees to transport them to the lowlands. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| With moss-covered peach branches, the more moss and lichen they have, the more valuable they are. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| A beautiful peach blossom branch should have the right shape, new shoots, and buds that bloom at the right time for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Photo: Dao Tho |
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| On these "giant" peach blossom branches, parasitic plants naturally grow. These branches are usually much more expensive than regular ones. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| To attract buyers, Mr. Vu Ba Thang in Phu Kha 1 village (Na Ngoi commune - Ky Son district) also decorated the peach blossom branches with a hybrid wild chicken. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| Many young men struggled to carry the enormous peach blossom branches back to their village. Photo: Dao Tho |
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| The wholesale price of these peach blossom branches ranges from 10-20 million VND, however, some traders reveal that if they are brought to the lowlands, the price can be 2-3 times higher. Because of the popularity of collecting original, ancient peach blossom branches, these branches are becoming increasingly rare in the mountainous regions of Nghe An. People have to travel to villages in neighboring Laos to search for them. Photo: Dao Tho |