This year, Thuy Bieu pomelos has achieved both high productivity and prices: the whole ward’s productivity is estimated at 900 tons, bringing revenue of approximately VND 27 billion. Currently, Thuy Bieu pomelos have appeared in the supermarket systems of Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh city, and Hanoi.
Thuy Bieu ward (Hue city) has about 800 households growing pomelos, with an area of over 147 hectares, mainly concentrated in the villages of Luong Quan, Trung Thuong, Dong Phuoc. On average, each household grows 0.15 hectares; the largest area is about 0.7 hectares. Each hectare of pomelos is estimated to earn over VND 200 million per year.
Thanh tra pomelos are bought by not only the traders, but also by many families and visitors keen on visiting the garden and buying them. This is because they want to choose the original Thuy Bieu pomelos with high quality and enjoy the gardens laden with fruits. The visitors can taste the fruit and selfie with their relatives in a peaceful and friendly space.
According to some garden owners, though this year festivals were not organized as usual, many garden houses in Thuy Bieu are still open for individual or family visitors inside and outside the province to try, buy pomelos and bring them back home for gifts. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xi, a garden owner in Luong Quan said: "My garden is close to the river. This year, many visitors have come to buy pomelos and send them to Hanoi. They like my pomelos, which are sold at reasonable prices so they often come back to buy the pomelos.”
Mr. Phan Van Trong, a visitor from Hanoi said: "Every year, my friend in Hue often sends me the thanh tra pomelos. This year, on our trip to Hue, the whole family wants to visit and know how people grow pomelos. It is exciting to see the ancient houses, walk under the trees laden with fruit. This is just like the ecological tourism. My children immediately took photos and shared them on facebook when they just arrived here.”
The Thua Thien Hue Online newspaper recorded some photos of visitors and families "check in" at Thuy Bieu pomelo gardens
Guests can choose the thanh tra pomelos themselves or ask the owner to pick them. In the photo: Son of garden owner Ho Xuan Dai is picking pomelos selected by the guests.
Families with young children together visit and pick pomelos in the gardens
The "selfie" moment under the trees laden with fruit
A group of friends drive cars to the gardens to buy pomelos
The gardens are always cleaned so as to facilitate the care of trees and create the comfortable space for visitors
A boy excitedly receives the pomelos after his family enthusiastically picked them in the gardens
At the prices from VND 30-40 thousand/kg, guests can choose and pick pomelos freely
Mrs. Be in Luong Quan village and her family members are serving guests.
A guest from Phu Vang buys over VND 3 million of pomelos to send to other provinces as gifts after climbing and picking pomelos herself.
Story and photos: Th. Sang - L.Tue