Armed with knives, they go around "tapping" durians, earning millions of dong every day

These days, durian growers in Ke Sach district ( Soc Trang province) are in the midst of their harvest season. This also creates seasonal jobs with high incomes for hundreds of people. Each harvest season, for skilled and experienced workers, simply picking durians with a knife can earn them millions of dong per day.

This year's durian harvest has not only brought good yields and good prices to orchard owners but also provided high incomes for seasonal workers. Photo: Phuong Anh

"Tapping" on a durian - seems easy but is difficult.

Xuan Hoa and Ba Trinh are considered the durian capital of Soc Trang province, with an area of over 1,000 hectares. During the peak season, each orchard can harvest several tons of durian per day. This is also a time that provides a stable income for laborers in the localities.

Taking advantage of his free time, Mr. Nguyen Van Be Tam from Tien Giang province joins durian traders in Ke Sach. His job is to "tap" the durians.

Workers earn between 1 and 1.3 million VND per day from picking and harvesting durians. Photo: Phuong Anh

Armed only with a Thai knife, Mr. Tam nimbly climbs tall trees, using the handle to tap each ripe durian fruit. On average, he harvests about 7 tons of fruit each day.

Mr. Tam shared: "Usually, you can tell if a durian is ripe just by smelling its aroma. But the skill of the picker lies in assessing the ripeness of the fruit even before you can smell the aroma. For example, tapping the fruit with a knife and hearing a 'pop pop' means the fruit has started to ripen and must be removed for sale in nearby markets to ensure quality when it reaches consumers. When the tapping sound is sharp and hard, 'coong coong' or 'boong boong', it means the durian is not yet ripe."

According to Mr. Tam, by tapping the fruit, harvesters must understand and sense whether the fruit is ripe enough to be cut. Because ripe fruit is highly valuable, it can be transported and sold in high-end markets, bringing large profits to traders.

This is what gives durian harvesting its value. Mr. Tam said that the work depends partly on the orchard and the height of the trees. Old, tall trees with large canopies are difficult to harvest. Conversely, durian trees that have only been bearing fruit for a few years are easier to harvest. For this job, he earns between 1 and 1.3 million VND per day.

High salary, but the work is not easy.

Although he also cultivates durian trees, which are not yet old enough to bear fruit, these days, Mr. Tran Tu Luong from Ba Trinh commune also comes to the durian orchards in the hamlet to help the owners.

Mr. Luong said that this job allows him to learn more about farming techniques from local farmers while also earning a supplementary income. For his work transporting and collecting produce, he earns between 300,000 and 700,000 VND per day from the orchard owners. In rural areas, this income is considered quite good.

"Although it's seasonal work, the income is much higher compared to a stable job. Helping out in orchards for a month earns me several million dong, which helps cover my living expenses and provides capital for starting my own business," Mr. Luong said.

Workers who collect and transport durian also earn between 300,000 and 700,000 VND per day. Photo: Phuong Anh

According to the farmers, harvesting durian is unlike harvesting other fruit trees because it is a thorny fruit, making picking and collecting more difficult, thus requiring more labor.

During harvest season, each orchard has nearly a dozen people to knock down, pick, collect, gather, and transport the fruit. The price varies depending on the work performed.

Typically, those who climb trees to tap and pick fruit are paid the highest wages, around 1-1.3 million VND per day. Other jobs usually pay between 300,000 and 700,000 VND per day, in addition to food and drinks provided by the orchard owner. Although the work is somewhat difficult and strenuous, everyone hopes that if the orchard owner has a good harvest and good prices, they will also earn an income.

The durian harvest in Kế Sách is expected to continue until mid-June. This year, durian has not only brought joy to orchard owners with a bountiful harvest and good prices, but also provided a good income for seasonal workers in the area.

By Phuong Anh (LDO)

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

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