A rare and treasured fruit

In Dong Cao village, Trang Viet commune, Me Linh district, Hanoi, roughly 20 households cultivate the red pomelo across 10 hectares of farmland.

This fruit, known for its vibrant red hue during Tet, has earned OCOP (One Commune, One Product) 4-star certification and is among the most sought-after specialty items during the Lunar New Year season.

Unlike other pomelo varieties, Dong Cao red pomelos transition from green to yellow in August and September, then to pink in October, and finally to a striking red just in time for Tet.

The pomelos are prized for their sweet, mild flavor, juicy segments, and pleasant fragrance.

Storm damage and soaring prices

The typhoon’s devastation left many farmers in Dong Cao reeling from significant losses.

Luong Van Phuong, Chairman of the Dong Cao Red Pomelo Cooperative, lamented that his family lost over 60% of their 3-hectare pomelo orchard - equating to damages exceeding 1 billion VND (approximately $41,000).

Floodwaters submerged the low-hanging pomelos, which are easier to care for but vulnerable to rising water.

In just one night, over 3,000 carefully shaped pomelos were ruined, and the weakened trees struggled to recover, with surviving fruits prone to dropping prematurely.

By mid-August, over 80% of pomelos meant for Tet had already been reserved by wholesalers.

This year, prices have surged. While regular pomelos were sold wholesale for 80,000–100,000 VND (approximately $3.28–$4.10) in previous years, they now fetch 120,000–130,000 VND ($4.92–$5.33) per fruit at the orchard.

Shaped pomelos, featuring designs like the character “Lộc” (Prosperity), are especially scarce.

“We’re charging 500,000 VND ($20.51) per shaped pomelo this year - double the usual price - and still have none left to sell. Even if customers offered 1 million VND ($41.03) per fruit, we wouldn’t have any available. It’s all spoiled, with molds piling under the trees. We’ll have to wait until next year to start again,” said Phuong regretfully.

Market demand and preservation efforts

Pham Van Bien, CEO of an e-commerce platform specializing in OCOP products, noted that pomelos are a perennial favorite, especially shaped fruits.

“These pomelos are unique, sweet, and long-lasting. Their market price typically ranges from 300,000–500,000 VND ($12.31–$20.51) depending on demand. This year, as typhoons disrupted banana supplies, more people turned to pomelos,” Bien explained.

To sustain this valuable crop, the cooperative is grafting branches and selling saplings while also transferring technology to other provinces like Son La, Binh Dinh, and Quang Ninh.

By expanding cultivation and preserving this rare fruit, Dong Cao aims to ensure future harvests are better protected against natural disasters.

Dong Cao Cooperative cultivates red grapefruits with about 20 households farming on more than 10 hectares of land.

In Dong Cao, nearly every household grows a few of these grapefruit trees, creating vibrant red alleys during good weather, free from natural disasters.

This fruit has been certified as a 4-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) product, making it one of the most sought-after specialties, especially during the Lunar New Year.

Unlike common grapefruits on the market, Dong Cao red grapefruits have a pleasant fragrance, juicy segments, and a distinct mild sweetness. Its unique characteristic is a color transition: the fruit starts green, turns yellow in August and September, pink in October, and bright red by the Lunar New Year.

This year, due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi in September, most grapefruits in Dong Cao suffered severe damage, resulting in poor yields. According to Mr. Lương Văn Phương, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dong Cao Red Grapefruit Cooperative, the area faced significant losses. “For my farm alone, of the 3 hectares of grapefruits, over 60% of the harvest was completely lost, equivalent to over 1 billion VND (41,000 USD),” he said.

Most shaped grapefruits are from low-hanging branches for easier care, but when floods hit, farmers were caught off guard by the rapidly rising water.

In just one night, the storm devastated over 3,000 shaped grapefruits in Hanoi. Floodwaters weakened the trees, leaving the surviving fruits less likely to grow properly and more prone to falling.

At Mr. Phương’s orchard, more than 80% of the Lunar New Year harvest had been pre-ordered by mid-August. With limited supply and rising consumer demand, grapefruit prices soared dramatically this year. Compared to previous years, when wholesale prices near the Lunar New Year were about 80,000–100,000 VND per regular grapefruit (3.30–4.20 USD), this year prices rose to 120,000–130,000 VND (5–6 USD), purchased directly from the orchard.

“Shaped grapefruits this year are twice as expensive, ranging from 500,000 VND (20 USD) per fruit, but we don’t even have stock. Even if customers offered 1 million VND (41 USD) per fruit, we wouldn’t have anything to sell. Most were ruined, and molds are piled around the tree roots. We’ll have to wait until next year to start again,” Mr. Phương lamented.

Pham Van Bien, CEO of an e-commerce platform specializing in OCOP products, shared that in previous years, there were still plenty of grapefruits available at this time. This year, they’re nearly sold out, with stock reserved only for traditional customers who pre-order annually. This grapefruit variety is highly popular, especially the ones shaped with the word “Lộc” (Prosperity).

“These unique grapefruits are delicious, sweet, and have a long shelf life. Market prices in previous years ranged from 300,000 VND (12.50 USD) per fruit, depending on consumer demand. During peak demand, they could sell for 400,000–500,000 VND (16.50–20.80 USD). This year, due to storms, many people who can’t buy bananas are turning to grapefruits instead,” the manager explained.

Thao Quyen