Apricot tree farmers in HCMC are being worried as their flowers have started to bloom well before the Lunar New Year because of heavy rain and unfavorable weather. As the Lunar New Year, or Tet, is still 3 weeks away, it is too early for apricot flowers to blossom now. At Ut Cao apricot flower garden, the flowers on half of the trees have been blossoming. “The weather this year is awful,” Ut Cao, the garden’s owner, said with a sigh. He said rain was unexpectedly occurred at this time of the year, causing apricot flowers to blossom untimely. “Customers wouldn’t like full-bloom flowers for Tet,” he said.
Vietnamese want their Tet flowers to remain for a while after Tet ends so before Tet, they prefer to buy trees and stalks with more buds rather than less. Artisan Nam Dong, owner of an apricot flower garden in Thu Duc District, said unfavorable weather had caused 70% of his trees to blossom early. Among his total 1,000 flowerpots, only 300 are in saleable conditions now. But Nam Dong said he wouldn’t raise prices even though he has spent a lot on pesticide and workers’ wages. “I’ll only plant 200 apricot trees next year,” he said.
Several horticulturists have gathered apricot trees in some locations along Kha Van Can Street in Thu Duc District for sale. Tran Ngoc Vuong, owner of Hanh apricot tree garden in Lon Dong Ward, Thu Duc District, said he had been displayed 200 apricot trees at the above site. According to Hanh, clients often buy apricot trees in the first year and then ask farmers to help take care of their plants every year after that.
Pham Anh Dung, chairman of the Ornamental Creatures Association in Cu Chi District, predicted that prices of apricot trees wouldn’t increase much because many people have switched to orchids. “There are different types of orchids – different colors and species. Orchids are also easier to care for,” Dung said. According to the Cu Chi Ornamental Creatures Association, the total area of orchid farming in the district has increased by 30 hectares and the prices of orchids will increase by 10% compared to last year.
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