Through skillful hands, coconuts, pomelos, watermelons, and cantaloupes are given a vibrant "new look" in the colors of spring. Each brushstroke and calligraphy not only enhances the aesthetic and economic value of agricultural products but also conveys wishes for a prosperous, happy, and fulfilling new year.
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Mr. Huynh Phu Loc supplied the market with 5,000 cantaloupes decorated with calligraphy. |
Recognizing the demand for beautifully decorated and unique fruits during Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. Huynh Phu Loc, Director of 620 Agricultural Joint Stock Company (Tan Luoc commune), is continuing to supply the market with 5,000 cantaloupes decorated with calligraphy. This Tet season, the company is supplying approximately 45 tons of cantaloupes to the market. Over 50% has already been sold wholesale. In addition, the company continues to supply cantaloupes decorated with calligraphy.
This is the fourth year that cantaloupes have been given a "new look," and they have been very popular with consumers. Even while still on the vine, each melon is carefully selected, ensuring they are perfectly round and have beautiful skin, so that the calligraphy written on them will be clear and legible. The melons carry meaningful and auspicious wishes such as: "Happy Spring 2026," "Happy New Year," "Wealth and Fortune," "May all your wishes come true," "Peace and Prosperity," etc.
According to Mr. Loc, the average selling price for cantaloupes decorated with calligraphy is 300-350 thousand VND per pair. This year, thanks to favorable weather conditions, the cantaloupes are of higher quality, larger, more uniform, and more beautiful than last year, ensuring good yield and weight for each fruit. To ensure timely delivery as promised, the company has hired more workers and is urgently implementing the production process from the moment the melons are still hanging on the trellises.
While painting the word "Lộc" (meaning prosperity/good fortune) on a cantaloupe, Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Loan ( from Tay Ninh province), a calligrapher, said: "In recent years, fruit decorated with calligraphy has been quite popular in the market, so I and other members of my group have joined to meet the demand. This work requires skill, patience, and high precision. The artist must keep their hand steady, and each stroke of the character must be balanced; any carelessness can easily ruin the image or reduce the aesthetic appeal of the melon. To meet delivery deadlines, the whole group has to work continuously for many days, sometimes even painting until 1-2 am. With 2,500 pairs of melons completed this time, each person earns an additional income of about 3-5 million VND during the Tet holiday."
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The craft of painting characters on fruit contributes to preserving and spreading the beauty of traditional culture, and diversifying products for Tet (Lunar New Year). |
"This is the first time I've joined a group that paints calligraphy on fruit," said Duong Cu Thoc, a first-year student at Tan Tao University (Tay Ninh province). "Taking advantage of the Tet holiday break, I joined the calligraphy group. It's a seasonal job lasting about 10 days, so the group is working at full capacity. I think this is a fun and meaningful job, providing extra income while sending wishes for a prosperous and peaceful Tet to everyone."
Also dedicated to the art of calligraphy on fruit, Mr. Dong Ngoc Quy (Trung Hiep commune) shared: "I've been involved in this work for 17 Tet seasons. For me, this is not just a seasonal job that brings income each spring, but also a passion. Calligraphy on fruit not only creates a novel and eye-catching appearance but also contributes to enhancing the value of the product."
According to Uncle Quy, when painting calligraphy on fruits like coconuts, watermelons, or pomelos, the artist must pay attention to every detail, from selecting the fruit to the technique and preservation. The fruit must be carefully selected, with a round shape, smooth skin, no scratches, and the right ripeness so that the calligraphy will be clear, durable, and beautiful. Before painting, the surface of the fruit needs to be cleaned and completely dried to help the paint adhere well and prevent smudging. The process requires steady skill and even, balanced strokes.
“The market is very fond of fruit products decorated with calligraphy. Therefore, to meet the demand, this year I have diversified my products to include calligraphy on coconuts, pomelos, watermelons, papayas… with a quantity of about 1,000 fruits, double the amount compared to last Tet. Calligraphy-decorated watermelons are priced at 100-200 thousand VND/pair, coconuts at 80-120 thousand VND/pair, and pomelos at 250-300 thousand VND/pair. Currently, almost all of them have been ordered by customers,” Mr. Quy said excitedly.
While painting on coconuts with her father, Dong Ngoc Thao Vy, the daughter of Mr. Quy, shared: "I feel that preserving calligraphy is very beautiful and meaningful, and it also adds beauty to the fruit during Tet. When I see my finished products being used by people to display during Tet, I feel very happy and proud."
With skillful artistry and meticulous attention to detail in every stroke, calligraphic messages of New Year's greetings, wishes for wealth and peace are delivered to many families every spring as fruits arrive. More than just decorative items, these are gifts that convey hopes and aspirations for a prosperous and successful new year.
The craft of painting calligraphy on fruits not only creates jobs and increases income for many seasonal workers during Tet (Lunar New Year), but also contributes to preserving and spreading the beauty of traditional culture. At the same time, it is also an innovative direction in agricultural production, helping to increase the value of agricultural products, diversify products, and meet the increasingly high demands of the market.
Text and photos: THAO LY
Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202602/ao-moi-cho-trai-cay-chung-tet-cb10903/
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