Bac Ha farmers harvest Tam Hoa plums

Since mid-May, Tam Hoa plum growers in Bac Ha district have begun harvesting the first plums of the season. This year, the hot weather has lasted for a long time, so the plums have ripened early, but the price of plums is lower than the same period in previous years.

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Ha district, the whole district currently has nearly 350 hectares of Tam Hoa plums. This year, most of the plum areas bear many fruits, only a few areas flowered early and encountered fog, so the fruit set rate was low. Plum prices in 2023 are lower than the annual average. Currently, people sell fresh plums for 10 - 40 thousand VND/kg. Of which, the price of green plums is 10 thousand VND/kg; selected plums are 20 - 30 thousand VND/kg; grade 1 plums are 40 thousand VND/kg.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Giang, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Ha district, said: This year, Bac Ha district people are expected to harvest over 4,000 tons of Tam Hoa plums. Tam Hoa plums will ripen in early June, which is also the time when Bac Ha district organizes the White Highland Festival with many attractive activities to stimulate tourism and consumption of key agricultural products, including Tam Hoa plums. We expect plum prices to increase so that people can have more income.

*People in Bac Ha district harvest Tam Hoa plums at the beginning of the season.*

The family of Ms. Lu Thi Hoa, Na Ang B village, Na Hoi commune, grows nearly 200 Tam Hoa plum trees. Each crop, Ms. Hoa's family harvests about 4 tons of fruit, selling for 50 - 60 million VND. This year, due to unfavorable weather, Ms. Hoa's plum garden has few fruits, small fruits, and the yield has decreased by 50%. Ms. Hoa said: Every year, at the beginning of the season, plum prices are usually high (30,000 VND/kg for green plums), but this year plum prices are very low. Hopefully, during the main season, there will be more tourists, causing plum prices to increase so that people can have more income.

*Cleaning up Tam Hoa plum garden, ready to welcome tourists to visit and experience.*

In addition to focusing on harvesting early-ripening plums, people in the Tam Hoa plum growing area in the center of Bac Ha town and neighboring communes are actively cleaning up their gardens to welcome tourists to visit and experience. Mr. Vang Van Sen, Head of Na Quang 1 residential group, Bac Ha town, said: The residential group has 17 households that maintain concentrated plum gardens, so they have joined together to create a tourist experience area. Normally, each plum season, this garden welcomes 5-6 thousand visitors to experience and enjoy plums. Plum growers have a fairly stable income, an average of 1 million VND/plum tree. We are actively clearing weeds, preparing tools and creating the most favorable conditions for tourists to experience the plum garden smoothly. Currently, there are several dozen visitors coming to visit and experience the plum garden of Na Quang 1 village every day.

Mid-May is the time when Tam Hoa plums begin to ripen, the number of ripe fruits is not much yet, but many tourists from inside and outside the province have come to plum gardens to visit and enjoy the first plums of the season. Mr. Mai Thanh Hung, Xuan Giao commune, Bao Thang district shared: Taking advantage of the weekend, when there is little work and the children are off school, my family and I went to Bac Ha to play and experience the plum garden. This is the first time my children have experienced plum picking and enjoying plums in the garden, so they are very excited. I also picked and bought a few kilos of early-season plums as gifts for relatives in the family.

From Ha Nam to Lao Cai for a trip, Ms. Hoang Hai Ha changed her schedule from Sa Pa town to Bac Ha district first because she heard that Tam Hoa plums were in season. Although she had the chance to experience picking and enjoying plums in the garden, Ms. Ha still felt regretful because this was not the main season, the plums were still green and sour: Tam Hoa plums in Bac Ha are very delicious and different. However, I like fully ripe plums, with more sweetness than at the present time. I will arrange my work and return to Bac Ha when the district organizes the Festival to watch horse racing and enjoy the red ripe Tam Hoa plums on the trees.

*People sell Tam Hoa plums at the gate of Bac Ha temple.*

Tam Hoa plum is the crop that creates the “White Plateau” brand and brings a large source of income to farmers in Bac Ha district. Bac Ha plum growers hope that the 2023 Bac Ha White Plateau Summer Festival with the theme “Highland Dance” with many attractive activities will contribute to attracting tourists, promoting the demand for Tam Hoa plums, helping to increase plum prices so that people can have more income.

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