Fruit growers gear up for year-end production season

During the Lunar New Year period, demand for a wide range of fruit rises in both domestic and export markets. Farmers are therefore stepping up investment in their orchards, hoping to achieve both high yields and favorable prices.

An orchard of orange-leaf sugar pomelos in Tan Trieu Ward is expected to deliver a bumper, high-value crop for the 2027 Lunar New Year harvest.

In recent years, increasingly erratic weather has posed challenges for crops. To reduce the risk of weather-related crop failures, farmers across Dong Nai are proactively implementing comprehensive crop care measures and strengthening pest and disease prevention and control.

Proactively responding to erratic weather

At this time of year, many fruit-growing areas are focusing on flower and young-fruit care to ensure an abundant supply of fresh fruit during the year's peak consumption period: the Lunar New Year. Fruits commonly used in traditional Tet offerings, such as mangoes, pomelos, dragon fruit, and custard apples, are receiving particular attention as demand for them typically rises and prices increase toward the end of the year.

Weather conditions from now through the end of 2026 are forecast to be influenced by El Niño, potentially leading to unusual off-season rainfall and hot, dry conditions. This could significantly affect flowering and fruit set in many crops, particularly weather-sensitive fruit crops such as pomelos and mangoes.

Nguyen Minh Vuong, Director of Vuong Huong Trading and Services Co., Ltd. in Tan Trieu Ward, said growers are currently harvesting pomelos for the Mid-Autumn Festival market while caring for young fruit destined for the 2027 Lunar New Year market. The upcoming Tet pomelo crop could face reduced yields due to erratic weather, he said. Prolonged rainfall, in particular, has increased the incidence of disease in pomelo orchards. One of the most difficult problems to control is red scale infestation. The insects attach themselves to leaves, causing them to yellow and fall, while those feeding on tree trunks suck sap, weakening the trees. Severe infestations can even kill trees. Red scale insects can also damage flowers, deform fruit, and reduce fruit quality. This poses a major threat to farmers' incomes because demand for pomelos used in Tet fruit offerings and as gifts rises sharply during the holiday, with only attractive, high-quality fruit commanding good prices.

Nguyen Van Tu, a pomelo grower in Trang Bom Ward, shares the concern. He said there is currently no specific treatment for red scale, meaning infestations often recur. Once the pest appears in an orchard, spending on fertilizers and pesticides rises significantly. Lower yields and fruit that fails to meet appearance standards also have a substantial impact on farmers' incomes.

Efforts to secure a good harvest

Pomelo prices are currently trending upward. Pink-fleshed green-skin pomelos are selling for around VND25,000 per kilogram, while orange-leaf sugar pomelos are approaching VND30,000 per kilogram—nearly twice the levels recorded during the same period last year. However, there is a significant price gap between premium and substandard fruit. This is prompting growers to intensify orchard care to produce attractive, high-quality fruit that meets the Tet market demand.

Le Thi Lanh, a pomelo grower in Phu Vinh Commune, said pomelo prices have risen over the past month. She expects prices to remain high through the final months of the year as demand for the fruit grows in both domestic and export markets. The positive price outlook has given pomelo growers greater confidence to invest in orchard care in pursuit of a Tet harvest that delivers both high yields and good quality, she said.

Mangoes are another fruit expected to command strong demand and higher prices toward the end of the year. Traditionally, from after Christmas until the Lunar New Year, traders actively seek mangoes for export markets, while domestic consumption also increases. Many mango growers are therefore investing in off-season production to harvest during the final months of the year, when prices are expected to be more attractive.

Nguyen Van Duc, a mango grower in La Nga Commune, said mangoes are widely used on Tet offering trays and during festivals. Off-season mangoes harvested around the Lunar New Year typically fetch prices several times higher than those grown during the main season. Growers are currently nourishing their trees to ensure healthy growth ahead of the next flowering and fruit-setting cycle, he said. However, this year's erratic rainfall and sunshine pose risks because mango trees are particularly sensitive to weather conditions. If a flowering cycle fails, farmers must apply additional fertilizers and crop-protection products to induce the next flowering cycle, increasing production costs. Despite these risks, many growers continue to opt for off-season mango production in the hope of securing attractive profits from the Tet crop.

Hoping for a bumper, high-value Tet harvest, farmers in specialized mango, pomelo, and dragon-fruit growing areas are focusing on orchard care to ensure flowering and high fruit-setting rates. They are also proactively implementing pest and disease prevention and control measures to maintain both crop yields and quality.

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho