Because the flowers havenot opened in most gardens, prices this year are predicted to be slightlyhigher than last year (double or more at flower shops).
However, a well-knownpeach blossom commune in Nhu Thanh district in Thanh Hoa province areupset because peach flowers there have bloomed earlier than expected, meaningslightly lower prices
Nguyen Canh Tan, apeach-tree gardener in Tay Ho district’s Phu Thuong village, said he had morethan 150 peach blossom trees and peach blossom bonsai trees and half of themwere booked already.
Small trees are being soldat wholesale prices from 400,000-600,000 VND (17.7-26.6 USD) per tree. Mediumand large-sized trees cost about 2-10 million VND (88.8-444 USD), Tansaid.
Vu Van Phai, a seller whohas rented a stall on Tay Ho district’s Lac Long Quan street, said transportinga tree costs at least 100,000-300,000 VND over a distance of 7-12km.
Traders have booked mostpeach trees in Hanoi’s gardens, helping push up prices over last year. Sơn Lain the northern mountains has also pre-sold much of its crop. Along both sidesof National Highway 6, the section through Van Ho and Moc Chau districts, thereare many places selling peach branches taken from trees in the wild. Peachblossom sellers said that they had pre-sold most local trees and were nowimporting from Laos.
Each forest tree costsfrom hundreds of thousands of VND to more than 10 million VND. Big trees withgood shapes and covered in moss are more expensive.
Lo A Nha, a resident from VanHo commune, said peach blossoms this year were more beautiful than last year.Each year, he earns about 15-20 million VND from selling peach trees for Tet.
Forest peach trees havebecome popular in cities and provinces during New Year, so many ancient peachesin H’mong ethnic regions have been cut for sale. Lai Van Thang, a resident in Hanoi,said he often went on business in northern mountain provinces at the end of theyear and bought a forest blossom branch to decorate his home.
A Hanoian living in ThuongTin district, Bui Van Dung, said in recent years, he often went to Sơn LaProvince to buy famous peach blossom trees named that thon forsale. These trees are not too high, have rough, exposed roots and plenty ofmould. Flowers could grow from the middle of the root and the trunk and costfrom 5-30 million VND per tree, Dung said.
Many growers in centralThanh Hoa province’s Xuan Du commune, a well-known peach blossom commune in NhuThanh district, are upset because peach flowers there have bloomed earlier thanexpected, meaning slightly lower prices. Seventy percent of the trees in thecommune are in full bloom.
Nguyen Thang Truong, aresident with experience in planting the trees, said: “We have many ways toforce flowers to fully blossom on Tet, but it is difficult for us if it bloomsearlier.”
Last year, 80 percent oftrees in his garden were booked ahead of Tet, but this year most traders lookedat the garden and shook their heads, he said.
Vice Chairman of the XuanDu commune People’s Committee Hoang Ngoc Son said the early blossoming couldaffect many local gardeners. Their income could be reduced by half compared tolast year.-VNA