The crisp oranges of Thuong Loc are bustling during the Tet season.
As Tet (Lunar New Year) 2026 approaches, the Thượng Lộc crisp oranges – a famous specialty of Hà Tĩnh province – enter their main harvest season. On the hillsides of Đồng Lộc commune, a bustling atmosphere of labor begins early in the morning. The rich sweetness, crispness, and distinctive aroma, along with increasingly safe farming practices, have helped Thượng Lộc crisp oranges continue to solidify their position in the Tet market.
In the final days of the year, in the orange orchards of Dong Loc commune, groups of laborers are busy harvesting, sorting, and packaging oranges to ensure timely delivery to distributors both within and outside the province. On the hillsides, the golden color of ripe oranges blends with the approaching spring, creating a vibrant picture of this key fruit-growing region.
The family of Ms. Phan Thi Hien in Anh Hung hamlet is one of the long-standing orange growers in Dong Loc. With over 2 hectares and approximately 1,000 orange trees planted and cared for systematically, the family's orange orchard is yielding a high harvest this year. Ms. Hien said that orange trees have been associated with her family since 1994, initially mainly lemon-oranges, and in recent years they have gradually shifted to the crisp orange variety.
According to Ms. Hien, crispy oranges already have advantages in terms of sweetness, crispness, and aroma. When switching to organic farming, the quality of the fruit is further significantly improved. The family uses compost made from soybeans and organic fertilizers, minimizing the use of chemicals, ensuring both consumer safety and the health of the orchard.
“This year, the weather has been favorable, and the cultivation techniques have been stable, resulting in uniformly sized and beautiful oranges. Our family sells directly from the orchard to consumers, so the prices are quite stable. Currently, first-grade oranges are selling for around 70,000 VND/kg, higher than other varieties and about 10% higher than last year,” Ms. Hien shared.
Thuong Loc crisp oranges are typically harvested from October to the end of December in the lunar calendar. Compared to many traditional orange varieties, these crisp oranges are not too large and may not be particularly visually appealing, but they offer a rich, sweet flavor, few seeds, and a distinctive crispness when eaten. This quality is what has made the product increasingly popular in the market, especially during Tet (Lunar New Year).
Having been involved in orange cultivation for nearly 20 years, this harvest has brought great joy to the family of Ms. Duong Thi Mai in Anh Hung hamlet, as they have enjoyed both a bountiful crop and good prices. Ms. Mai said that her family's orange farm covers more than 4 hectares with about 2,000 citrus trees of various types. The expected yield for the entire season is over 30 tons, generating revenue of more than 1.5 billion VND.
Not only individual orange growers, but also many cooperatives in Dong Loc commune have identified crisp oranges as their main crop. Mr. Phan Van Thanh, Director of Thanh Hien Cooperative, said that crisp oranges are a "fussy" variety, requiring strict care techniques from planting to fruiting.
“The crisp oranges aren't as visually appealing as some other varieties, and the trees aren't as healthy, but their quality is superior. To get delicious fruit, you have to focus on using biological fertilizers, microbial fertilizers, manure, seaweed, and soybeans; applying them at the right time and in the right amount. Especially, irrigation and drainage are crucial factors; too much or too little water affects both yield and quality,” Mr. Thanh said.
According to Mr. Thanh, in the context of a market increasingly gravitating towards clean and safe products, the responsibility of producers is to prioritize quality and consumer health. The cooperative has maintained production according to VietGAP standards since 2015, is aiming to register for organic certification, and identifies this as a long-term direction.
Currently, the market price for crisp oranges fluctuates around 70,000 VND/kg, nearly double that of many other types of oranges. As a result, the economic efficiency per unit area is outstanding, helping many orange-growing households earn billions of VND annually.
According to statistics, Dong Loc commune currently has about 350 hectares of crisp oranges entering a stable harvesting season, with this year's estimated yield reaching approximately 2,500 tons. Many orchards generate revenue of 1-3 billion VND per year, making a significant contribution to the local agricultural economic development.
Mr. Tran Quang Dao, an official in charge of the economic sector of Dong Loc commune, said that Thuong Loc oranges have been grown in this area for nearly 30 years. Through intensive cultivation, the people have maintained stable quality, creating unique characteristics in terms of flavor, color, and uniformity of the fruit. The product is increasingly recognized and trusted by the market.
Mr. Phan Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Loc commune, said that the commune has focused on mechanisms to support the development of fruit production areas, linked with the agricultural restructuring plan. After the reorganization, Dong Loc continues to review and plan the growing areas for oranges and pomelos, with crispy oranges being a characteristic product of the Tra Son area. Along with building brands, the locality focuses on developing products according to VietGAP, OCOP standards and geographical indications, creating a foundation for the sustainable development of Thuong Loc crispy oranges. To date, more than 80% of the orange production has been consumed, and the rest is being carefully cared for to serve the Tet market.
Currently, to expand sales, in addition to traditional distribution channels, orange growers and local communities have proactively applied digital transformation, promoting their products through social media, e-commerce platforms, organizing online sales events, and livestreaming product introductions. This approach not only helps reach consumers in distant locations but also enhances the brand value of Thượng Lộc crispy oranges in the Tet market.
Tet flower villages are in peak season.
With less than 10 days until the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere of flower production and consumption in Ho Chi Minh City is reaching its peak. Since mid-December, flower villages throughout the city have been bustling with traders from all over, bringing large and small trucks, tricycles, etc., lining up to buy flowers to transport to wholesale markets, spring flower markets, and southern provinces and cities for consumption. However, behind this hustle and bustle lies considerable worry for flower growers, as unfavorable weather conditions have caused flowers to bloom early in some areas, preventing prices from increasing while input costs continue to rise.
Observations at Kim Dinh flower village in Long Huong ward – one of the city's long-standing Tet flower-growing villages with an area of over 20 hectares – show a bustling atmosphere of buying and selling starting from the 15th day of the 12th lunar month and becoming even more vibrant as Tet approaches. This year, due to the impact of unseasonal rains, lower temperatures, and strong winds at the end of the year, many flower fields developed faster than expected, leading to premature blooming. Although most of the flower pots had been reserved by traders in advance, upon inspecting the gardens, many traders haggled for lower prices or took less than initially agreed upon.
Mr. Nguyen Van Nam's flower garden in Long Huong ward is a typical example. His family grows about 5,000 pots of chrysanthemums, mainly large-flowered chrysanthemums, the main flower variety for the Tet market. All the pots were pre-ordered by traders early on and trucks began arriving to transport them for sale as early as mid-December. However, due to the flowers blooming early, some traders requested price reductions or did not take the full quantity agreed upon, creating a risk of unsold flowers.
“This year, flower prices have remained almost unchanged compared to previous years, while the costs of fertilizers, pesticides, and labor have all increased by more than 10%. The flowers bloomed early, traders haggled, and the market became risky, potentially shrinking the profits of flower growers,” Mr. Nam shared. These concerns are also shared by many flower-growing households in Kim Dinh village in the days leading up to Tet.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of Kim Dinh Flower Agricultural Service Cooperative, this year the flowers developed quite well, but the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) was affected by strong winds, causing 85-90% of the flower-growing households' crops to bloom prematurely. Initially, traders placed large deposits, but when the flowers bloomed early, some traders adjusted their purchasing plans, affecting the farmers' sales.
The price of large chrysanthemums in Kim Dinh village this year has not fluctuated much compared to last year. Specifically, a 60 cm pot of flowers ranges from 600,000 to 650,000 VND; an 80 cm pot from 1.2 to 1.4 million VND; and a 1-meter pot from about 1.6 to 1.8 million VND. These prices are considered not commensurate with the effort and cost that flower growers have put in over many months of care.
This Lunar New Year, to facilitate the sale of Tet flowers by growers, the People's Committee of Long Huong Ward will organize a Spring Flower Market right in Kim Dinh flower village, on Le Dai Hanh street, from National Highway 51 to the bypass of National Highway 56, with a length of 1,200 meters. The market will be held from February 10th, 2026 to February 16th, 2026, which is from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to 12:00 PM on the 29th day of the 12th lunar month.
Meanwhile, in Lang Lon flower village, Kim Long commune, the situation is more positive. Thanks to suitable weather conditions and cultivation techniques, most of the flowers here bloomed just in time for Tet (Lunar New Year), with only a few pots blooming early. Therefore, flowers from Lang Lon village are favored by traders, and demand is quite good. From mid-December, traders began transporting flowers for sale, with peak activity on the 18th and 19th of December, when trucks lined up along the village roads.
Ms. Vo Nhu Binh, residing in Kim Long commune, who is growing about 3,000 pots of chrysanthemums of various sizes, said that although the price of flowers this year has not increased compared to last year, thanks to the flowers blooming at the right time, her entire flower garden has been bought by traders, and some have already been transported for sale. “The price hasn't increased, but the flowers are selling well, and we growers are very happy. However, with the unseasonal rains at the end of the year, the cold weather and strong winds have kept us worried,” Ms. Binh said.
According to the Kim Long Commune Farmers' Association, the entire commune currently has about 50 households growing flowers on an area of 43 hectares, supplying the market with approximately 130,000 pots of various flowers such as chrysanthemums, crystal chrysanthemums, roses, etc. By this time, traders have already placed deposits for over 80% of the Tet flower supply, and many gardens have almost sold out their stock for this year's Tet season. However, many traders are currently having difficulty finding workers to load and unload the flower pots.
In reality, growing flowers for the Lunar New Year is a labor-intensive profession requiring significant investment and meticulous attention to detail. From planting to selling, growers need to spend 3 to over 5 months continuously caring for the plants (depending on the type of flower). To produce high-quality potted flowers, the plants must grow uniformly, have large blooms, beautiful colors, and bloom at the right time for Tet. Growers must constantly monitor weather conditions, adjust fertilization and pesticide application, and especially apply nighttime lighting techniques to stimulate growth and control flowering time.
Amidst increasingly unpredictable climate change, the Tet flower farming industry faces numerous challenges. However, flower growers in Ho Chi Minh City still hope for a relatively fulfilling Tet season. Trucks loaded with flowers leaving the flower villages not only bring the colors of spring to the city streets but also carry the hope for a prosperous and peaceful new year for the farmers after months of hard work.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/tu-vuon-cam-den-lang-hoa-vao-vu-tet-20260207114547336.htm
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