These days, Thanh Chuong people are harvesting black canarium. This year's canarium crop is poor, there is a shortage, and the price is higher than last year.
Thanh Chuong people have been harvesting black canarium fruits for a week now. Compared to previous years, this canarium fruit season is harvested later, only ripening near the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. Photo: Huy ThuAccording to local people, this year's canarium crop has been poor, the trees produce little fruit, or even no fruit at all. Mr. Nguyen Van Tri, a long-time canarium climber in Vo Liet commune (Thanh Chuong) said: Many canarium trees in previous years, each tree produced several hundred kilograms of fruit, this year only produced a few hundred kilograms of fruit, the output is only 1/10 of previous years. Photo: Huy ThuWhen the season comes, people who work as canarium climbers (who buy whole canarium trees) are busy. They often go in groups of 2-4 people, carrying poles to dig canariums, and carrying rolls of nets and tarps to catch canariums on the back of their vehicles. Canarium pickers in Thanh Chuong district spread out to all localities where canariums are grown, sometimes even to Anh Son district, Ha Tinh province to hunt for goods. Photo: Huy ThuOn sunny days, to avoid the sun, people often go to pick canarium early. Around 5am - 5:30am, they are already at the base of the canarium. According to the people, this season, the earlier the picking is done, the better. First, it will avoid the strong sun and be less tired. Second, the canarium will not ripen under the base. Photo: Huy ThuClimbing canarium trees has always been a difficult job. Canarium trees are tall and have small fruits, making them difficult to harvest. Using a ladder to climb can only provide support at the base of the tree, while on the tree, canarium pickers have to move by themselves. Many canarium pickers are careless and do not wear safety ropes. Several accidents caused by climbing canarium trees have occurred in the localities. Photo: Huy ThuIn the groups of canarium pickingers, men usually climb trees, and women pick the fruit. Before harvesting, people will spread nets or tarps to catch the canarium. During the picking process, if the sun shines under the tree, the canarium fruit will fall and must be picked up immediately to prevent the canarium from ripening. Photo: Huy ThuClimbing the tree is difficult, picking canarium is even more difficult, because you have to use a pole to poke each bunch or fruit. This year the canarium crop failed, the fruit was sparse, the canarium pickers had to move branches a lot, which was tiring, but they picked few fruits. Photo: Huy ThuFor the past two years, the canarium crop has been poor, especially this canarium crop. People who work as canarium climbers are sad because the work is hard but the income is not much, sometimes they even lose a lot. Mr. Tran Van Mao, a long-time canarium picker in Thanh Nho commune, Thanh Chuong district, said that his canarium climbing group spent nearly 500 million VND this year to buy canarium on the tree. There is a canarium garden that was bought when the tree had just bloomed for 35 million VND, but now they have only harvested about 1.5 quintals of fruit. Photo: Huy ThuAccording to those who work as canarium climbers, when they encounter canarium trees that do not bear fruit and have already paid for them, they have to negotiate with the canarium owners to save some money. Many households agree to let canarium climbers come next year to harvest to make up for this year, or if the trees have few fruits, they pick as many as they can weigh on the tree and buy that much. Photo: Huy ThuMr. Nguyen Van Thanh, who works as a canarium picker in Thanh Lien commune, shared: Buying canarium from the tree is also a matter of luck. This year, the harvest was bad, and those who bought when the canarium tree had just bloomed lost more than those who bought when the canarium had fruit. According to Mr. Thanh, this canarium season, he and his wife spent nearly 300 million VND to buy whole canarium trees. The canarium output that he has harvested in the past few days is estimated to be about 30-40% compared to last year. Canarium picked are imported to purchasing facilities to be shipped to other provinces or to retailers in markets. Photo: Huy ThuThanh Chuong black star fruit has a bad harvest, causing prices to rise. The price of star fruit imported at purchasing facilities in Thanh Chuong district ranges from 105,000 - 110,000 VND/kg. Up to this point, almost all star fruit purchasing facilities are out of stock because there are few star fruit, not yet ripe, and not enough to import. Black star fruit sold at Thanh Chuong rural markets costs from 120,000 - 140,000 VND/kg, about 20,000 - 40,000 VND/kg more expensive than in 2023. Photo: Huy ThuPeople harvest black canarium in Thanh Tung commune (Thanh Chuong). Video: Huy Thu