Starting in the middle of the 11th lunar month, pomelo farmers in Phuc Dien ward get busy preparing for the most important harvest of the year.
Dien pomelo used to be one of the special fruits to be offered to kings.
This year, good weather has brought plentiful and tasty pomelos, leading to excellent sales.
Dien pomelo trees bear fruits during the last two months of the lunar calendar when people prepare for Tet (Lunar New Year Festival).
This year's pomelos are consistently round, beautiful, plump, and juicy.
Dien pomelo stands out as it can be stored for up to four months without preservatives. To savor its complete flavor, it's recommended to allow the fruit's skin to dry.
These Dien pomelo trees are over 20 years old.
With over a month until the Lunar New Year, customers across the country have made orders for Tet and as gifts.
Tran Thi Mai from Hanoi said that a month before every Tet, she and her husband visit Phuc Dien to personally select and purchase pomelos. They buy them as gifts and also sell to customers who pre-ordered. "Dien pomelos are delicious and sweet, loved by my family and customers. For this year's pomelo season, I bought 500 fruits for both personal consumption and as gifts," Mai said.
A single tree in the garden can produce 100 to 300 fruits.
Due to the extensive cultivation area, farmers hire workers for harvesting, with each person earning an average of around 12 USD extra income per day.
From morning till late afternoon, gardeners are busy harvesting to supply the market during Tet.
Gardeners use tractors to save time and labor.
Today, Dien pomelo is grown in many places, but the highest quality Dien pomelo is still found in Phu Dien ward, Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi.
The fruit is also a pride of pomelo growers in the locality.