Western raspberry chrysanthemums are bustling out of their gardens to Hanoi to celebrate Tet early.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - This year, farmers in Ben Tre province planted approximately 1.5 million pots of chrysanthemum flowers. The early-blooming chrysanthemums will be purchased by traders to be sold in the Hanoi market.

"This year there was a lot of rain, but fewer pests and diseases, so the chrysanthemum crop was a success. I planted 1,500 pots, each costing over 30,000 VND, and I sold them for 80,000 VND. I've already sold 200 pots in the past few days, and the rest have been reserved by traders. I'm very relieved and happy now," shared Mr. Tran Van Au (61 years old, residing in Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province) while calculating the money from selling the flowers to traders.

Pots of early-blooming chrysanthemums are being lifted out of the field (Photo: Nguyen Cuong).

Mr. Au said that growing chrysanthemums for Tet (Lunar New Year) is the main occupation of many households in the area. Chrysanthemums are the longest-blooming flowers, and their price is much higher than marigolds, cockscomb, etc. Every year in June, gardeners begin planting. Growing chrysanthemums is very hard work, because in addition to tending to the plants, farmers also have to prune the tips of the plants many times so that the flower pots branch out and grow luxuriantly. Not far from Mr. Au's house, the family of Mr. Dang Van Thanh (47 years old) is also harvesting chrysanthemums. The men are in charge of bundling the flowers and bringing them from the field to the shore, while the women wrap the flowers in paper to prevent them from being crushed during long-distance transportation.

Early-blooming chrysanthemums will be transported to Hanoi for sale, as the colder climate there will cause them to bloom more slowly (Photo: Nguyen Cuong).

"This year I planted 4,000 pots of chrysanthemums, costing 120 million VND. So far, buyers have bought them all at 85,000 VND per pot, making a good profit. This year there was a lot of rain but no pests or diseases, so growing flowers was less expensive, and the flowers are more beautiful than in previous years. The selling price is about the same as every year, but they are easier to sell this year," Mr. Thanh said. Working alongside Mr. Thanh in the flower field, Mr. Nguyen Van Liep is also actively bundling flowers to deliver to traders. This year, Mr. and Mrs. Liep planted 1,800 pots of chrysanthemums, and they have already sold them all.

Farmers are busy harvesting flowers (Photo: Nguyen Cuong).

The elderly farmer calculated that after six months of hard work, his chrysanthemum garden yielded a profit of over 80 million VND, enough for the couple to cover their expenses for the following year. "Not all the flowers in the garden are the same. Some are beautiful, some aren't so beautiful, some bloom early, some bloom late. This year, about 90% of my flowers are of good quality. The early-blooming ones will be sold to traders who take them to Hanoi, because the cold weather in the North will cause the flowers to stop blooming or bloom slowly, staying fresh until after Tet. Those that bloom closer to Tet will be sold to traders who take them to Ho Chi Minh City," Mr. Liếp said. With more than 20 days left until the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake 2025, chrysanthemum gardens throughout Cho Lach are actively tending to their produce. For them, the money for the next year depends on this one month.

Chrysanthemums, like peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, and kumquats, have become traditional ornamental plants for Tet (Vietnamese New Year) celebrations in Vietnam (Photo: Nguyen Cuong).

According to local agricultural statistics, Cho Lach district has over 6,400 households engaged in the production and sale of ornamental plants and flowers. The district's main ornamental plants and flowers include apricot blossoms, bougainvillea, animal-shaped bonsai, and chrysanthemums. This year, for the Lunar New Year season, Cho Lach residents produced over 10 million ornamental plants and flowers for sale nationwide, including approximately 1.5 million pots of chrysanthemums. To honor the district's main industry, Cho Lach district has planned to organize a Flower and Ornamental Plant Festival from January 8th to 12th with many activities, most notably the construction of a 15km flower-lined road, setting a Vietnamese record.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/lao-dong-viec-lam/cuc-mam-xoi-mien-tay-tap-nap-roi-vuon-ra-ha-noi-don-tet-som-20250105152734817.htm