Farmers have a bumper banana harvest for Tet (Lunar New Year).

These days, the banana-growing region of Thanh Ha (Hai Phong) is bustling with traders coming to inspect, select, and place orders for Tet bananas. Farmers in Thanh Ha are delighted because the weather is favorable, the Tet banana crop is developing well, promising a bountiful harvest, high prices, and a more prosperous Tet holiday for each family.

Farmers wrap the banana bunches tightly to protect them from frost and pests.

The banana growing area in Thanh Ha commune covers approximately 150 hectares, concentrated in Xuan An and An Lao villages, with 30 hectares planted for sale during the Tet holiday. The average banana yield is estimated at 305 quintals/hectare. Each year, the commune supplies about 4,584 tons of bananas to the market. While last year farmers suffered losses due to the impact of Typhoon No. 3 (Typhoon Yagi ), which caused extensive damage to banana plantations, this year the banana trees are growing and developing well. Approaching harvest time, the banana trees are lush green, with abundant, plump bunches of bananas.

The family of Ms. Dang Thi Xanh, in Xuan An village, Thanh Ha commune, has over 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of banana plantations. In the days leading up to harvest, Ms. Xanh regularly inspects her orchard, removing yellowed leaves and diseased parts to prevent them from affecting the banana plants' growth. With over 20 years of experience cultivating this fruit, Ms. Xanh says that bananas are easy to care for, requiring little effort but providing a good income. Because they prefer water, in addition to fertilizing, regular watering is essential to ensure healthy banana plants.

Farmers in Thanh Ha mainly grow two popular banana varieties for sale during Tet (Lunar New Year). While the Cavendish banana is easy to grow and simple to care for, the Cavendish banana requires more meticulous care. Farmers must wrap the bunches tightly to protect the bananas from frost and pests.

Ms. Do Thi Tuyet, a trader who has been buying Thanh Ha bananas to sell in Quang Ninh market for many years, said that Thanh Ha bananas are of good quality and very popular with customers. Last Tet, due to a poor harvest, Ms. Tuyet had to source bananas from Son La province. This year, Thanh Ha bananas are abundant, so by this time, Ms. Tuyet has already selected more than 100 bunches of bananas to prepare for the Tet markets.

Ms. Do Thi Tuyet, a trader who has been buying Thanh Ha bananas to sell in the Quang Ninh market for many years, said that this year she predicts the price of bananas for Tet will be higher than in previous years.

According to traders, banana prices this Tet (Lunar New Year) are higher than in previous years due to reduced supply and flooding in some areas. Each bunch of bananas is currently being purchased by traders for 400,000 - 700,000 VND depending on the variety, and the price is expected to increase in the days leading up to Tet. Ms. Dang Thi Xanh shared that with these prices, each family with about 100 bunches of bananas has earned tens of millions of VND. In the commune, families like Mr. Dang Van Huu (3 acres), Mr. Dang Van Phi (2 acres), and Mr. Pham Khac Binh (3 acres) have earned hundreds of millions of VND during the Tet season.

Banana trees are one of the fruit crops that bring high economic efficiency to farmers in Thanh Ha commune, especially during the Lunar New Year. Besides the bananas sold during Tet, a portion of the late-ripening banana crop in Thanh Ha is being cared for by farmers to be sold during the full moon of the first lunar month.

According to Vu Thi Hao, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Ha commune, a unique characteristic of banana trees is that they require minimal use of pesticides. Through various associations and organizations, the commune actively promotes the use of organic fertilizers among the people to ensure that the bananas supplied to the market are safe for consumers.

The future orientation of Thanh Ha commune is to continue maintaining the existing banana cultivation area while improving the quality and value of bananas. The commune directs specialized agencies to guide people on technical aspects of care, planting timing, harvesting, and market orientation to neighboring provinces and cities. Along with that, it will build and promote the brand of banana products.

The banana growing area in Thanh Ha commune covers 150 hectares, of which 30 hectares are dedicated to bananas sold during the Tet holiday.

“In the past, a portion of the banana production has been consumed in various provinces and cities, and another portion has been harvested by Amei Vietnam Joint Stock Company for processing into products such as dried bananas, chocolate-coated dried bananas, and green tea-coated dried bananas, achieving OCOP 4-star status. The commune is also finalizing OCOP product dossiers for four other banana products and is requesting approval from the city,” Ms. Hao shared. It is clear that, along with traditional Tet banana products, OCOP products represent a sustainable approach to enhancing the value of bananas and increasing income for farmers.

The entire city of Hai Phong currently has 5,200 hectares of banana plantations, yielding approximately 140,000 tons per year and capable of supplying bananas year-round. Of this, about 2,500 hectares supply bananas to the market during the Lunar New Year. Bananas are mainly grown in the communes and wards of Chi Minh, Lac Phuong, Nguyen Giap, Thanh Ha, Ha Dong, Lai Khe, Viet Khe, Le Ich Moc, Bach Dang, Luu Kiem, Chan Hung, Vinh Thinh, etc. Currently, about 30% of the banana production is exported, mainly to the Chinese market.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/nong-dan-duoc-mua-chuoi-tet-20260130171320259.htm