Holding a knife to "knock" durian, earning millions every day

These days, durian growers in Ke Sach district ( Soc Trang province) are in the harvest season. This is also the time to create seasonal jobs with high income for hundreds of people. Every season like this, for skilled and experienced people, holding a knife to "knock" durian can also earn millions of dong per day.

This year's durian crop not only helps garden owners have a "good harvest and good price" but also helps seasonal workers earn high income. Photo: Phuong Anh

"Knocking" durian - seems easy but is difficult

Xuan Hoa and Ba Trinh are considered the durian capitals of Soc Trang province with an area of over 1,000 hectares. During the main season, each garden can harvest several tons of durian each day. This is also the time to create stable income for local workers.

In his spare time, Nguyen Van Be Tam from Tien Giang province follows durian traders in Ke Sach. His job is to “knock” durian.

Workers earn from 1 - 1.3 million VND/day from picking durian. Photo: Phuong Anh

With only a Thai knife in hand, Mr. Tam quickly climbed up the tall tree, using the knife handle to knock each durian fruit into its ripe state. On average, he picked about 7 tons of fruit every day.

Mr. Tam shared: Normally, just smelling the aroma is enough to know that the durian is ripe. But the talent of the picker is to know how to assess the ripeness of the fruit before the aroma is even smelled. For example, tapping the knife on the fruit and hearing “pop pop” means that the fruit has started to ripen and must be removed for consumption in the nearby market to ensure quality when it reaches the consumer. When the tapping sound is harsh and hard “coong coong”, “boong boong” means the durian is not ripe.

According to Mr. Tam, through tapping, the picker must understand and feel whether the fruit is ripe enough to cut or not. Because ripe fruit has high value, can be transported and consumed in high-end markets, bringing great profits to traders.

This is what makes the durian harvesting job valuable. Mr. Tam said that the job depends on each garden and the height of the tree. Long-standing, tall trees with large foliage will be difficult to pick. On the contrary, durian trees that have only been bearing fruit for a few years are easier to harvest. With this job, he is paid from 1 to 1.3 million VND per day.

High salary but not easy work

Also growing durian but the trees are not old enough to bear fruit, these days, Mr. Tran Tu Luong in Ba Trinh commune also goes to durian gardens in the hamlet to help the garden owners.

Mr. Luong said that with this job, he not only learns more about farming and cultivation from farmers but also has an additional source of income. With the transportation and collection job like his, the garden owner will pay him from 300,000 to 700,000 VND/day. In the countryside, this income level is considered quite good.

“Although it is a seasonal job, the income is much higher than a stable job. I help the gardens and earn a few million VND a month, covering my living expenses and having capital to start a business,” said Mr. Luong.

Workers collecting and transporting durian also earn from 300,000 - 700,000 VND/day. Photo: Phuong Anh

According to gardeners, harvesting durian is not like other fruit trees because this is a thorny fruit, picking and collecting is also more difficult, so it requires a lot of labor.

On harvest days, each garden has nearly ten people to knock, pick, collect, and transport. Depending on the work, there will be a suitable price.

Normally, the person who climbs the tree to tap and pick the fruit is paid the most, about 1 - 1.3 million VND/day. The remaining jobs are usually paid from 300,000 - 700,000 VND/day, in addition to being supported by the garden owner with food and drink. Although the work is somewhat difficult and tiring, everyone hopes that the garden owner will have a good harvest and good prices, so they will have income.

It is expected that the durian harvest in Ke Sach will last until mid-June. This year, durian not only brings the joy of a good harvest and good prices to garden owners, but also brings good income to local seasonal workers.

According to PHUONG ANH (LDO)

Original article link: https://laodong.vn/kinh-doanh/cam-dao-di-go-sau-rieng-kiem-tien-trieu-moi-ngay-1199259.ldo

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