Although not yet a pomelo growing area, in recent years, ornamental pomelo trees planted by farmers in Kim An commune (Hanoi’s Thanh Oai district) have come to customers’ houses on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet). Pomelos are generating stable income for Kim An farmers.

On the concrete roads leading to Kim An commune these days, it is easy to see trucks busy carrying pomelos. Buyers come from many neighbourhoods, such as Hanoi’s Chuong My district, Van Giang district in Hung Yen province or Nam Dinh province.

The new, spacious, modern house built on an area of ​​200 square metres belonging to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong (Trang Cat village, Kim An commune) is harmonious with the 1ha pomelo garden nearby. Phuong said pomelos have helped locals improve their lives and her new house was also the fruit of pomelos.

Phuong said pomelos have helped locals improve their lives and her new house was also the fruit of pomelos.

The pomelo garden with roughly 800 trees is taken care of by Phuong's family and is in great condition. The fruitful trees do not betray the growers. Pointing to the ornamental pomelo trees rooted in clay pots, Phuong said they are the bestselling for Tet, with a wholesale price of around VND12 million. This year, from the full moon in the last lunar month of 2018, many visitors have arrived to make orders.

Currently, the total area of ​​cultivated land of Kim An is nearly 196 ha, of which there are 130 ha converted into fruit trees. The commune’s production value obtained from cultivation in 2018 is estimated at VND91.5 billion.

Local farmers have "survived" with pomelo trees and still take care of their pomelo gardens with the belief that the fruitful trees will bring prosperity, like the meaning of pomelo fruits displayed during Tet.

Nhan Dan