Growing peaches and lemons for Tet, farmers earn hundreds of millions of dong

Mr. Ha Cong Chien in Hamlet 2, Hung Yen Nam Commune is one of the first households to plant peach trees in the gaps in his family's lemon garden. At first, he only planted a few trees for Tet, but seeing the beautiful flowers, many people asked to buy them, so Mr. Chien planted the seeds himself and intercropped 150 peach trees in the lemon beds to serve the people in the area.

With an area of ​​nearly 2,000 m², Last year, although the weather was very cold and many households' flowers bloomed late, his family still earned 50 million VND from selling peach blossoms. Currently, 150 peach trees from 2 to 4 years old are competing to bloom, showing off their brilliant colors throughout the garden.

Traders go to the garden to buy peach blossoms to bring back to Vinh to sell. Photo: Thanh Tam

Before December 23, customers from Vinh city and surrounding areas came to the garden to buy peach trees, the average price was 700,000 VND/branch. After cutting and selling 30 peach branches, Mr. Chien had more than 20 million VND. This year, Mr. Chien expected to earn more than 50 million VND from the peach blossom crop.

"Peach trees do not require as much capital investment as lemon trees. You only need to grow seedlings for about 2 years before they start to flower. If you want a beautiful tree, you have to spend time pruning, shaping and restraining the tree to bloom right on Tet. If peach blossoms bloom 10-15 days before or after Tet, you will be left empty-handed. My family has only grown peach trees for 5 years, but almost every year the peach blossoms bloom right on Tet," said Mr. Ho Cong Chien.

Taking advantage of the hilly gardens, in recent years, many households in Hung Yen Nam commune have planted peach trees in lemon gardens. Although peach trees are planted spontaneously, small households have only a few dozen trees, large households have 150 - 200 trees; mainly peach trees, blooming right on Tet holiday, people do not have to take them to the market to sell but traders often come to the garden to order.

In the days leading up to Tet, the hill gardens in Hung Yen Nam commune are always bustling with people coming in and out to buy peach blossoms. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thang - a trader who comes to buy peach blossoms in Hung Yen Nam commune said: "In the past, I often went all the way to Moc Chau - Son La to buy peach blossoms, sometimes to mountainous districts in the province to collect goods. The transportation costs are high when traveling far, but the peach blossoms are no less fresh when they arrive. Last year, I went to Hung Yen Nam and saw many beautiful peach blossoms, so I bought them and brought them back to Vinh to sell; this year, I continue to come back here to buy peach blossoms because it is close and the price is reasonable."

Peach trees are planted in a lemon garden in Hung Yen Nam commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Thanh Tam

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Chairman of Hung Yen Nam Commune People's Committee, Hung Yen Nam has the advantage of hilly gardens, farmers have exploited lemon cultivation quite effectively. In recent years, many households have also planted peach trees in lemon gardens. Currently, about 60% of households grow peach blossoms in hilly gardens. Many households have an income of 30 - 50 million VND from selling peach blossoms during Tet.

With diligence and creativity in production, farmers in Hung Yen Nam commune have covered the barren hills with evergreen lemon gardens and peach trees competing to show off their bright colors during the Tet holiday. Along with lemon trees, peach trees have contributed to increasing the income of many households here. Thanks to the money from selling peach blossoms, many families have a warmer and more prosperous Tet./.