Farmer Nguyen Van Hoang (in Vinh Thanh commune, Lap Vo district, Dong Thap province) said that this is the fourth year he has shaped the pomelos in his garden to increase the economic value of the Ruby pomelo variety with green skin and red flesh.
According to Mr. Hoang, to create a beautifully shaped and eye-catching pomelo, growers spend more than six months caring for it from the time it flowers until harvest. He has to select round, beautiful pomelos with thick stems to put into molds for shaping. Therefore, each tree has fewer than 10 fruits for shaping and carving.
Mr. Hoang further shared that shaping pomelos requires very strict technical requirements. The fruit must not be exposed to direct sunlight and needs to be covered to prevent sunburn. Direct sunlight will cause the pomelos to fall off or develop blemishes, resulting in products that don't achieve the desired shape. This year, the weather has been unfavorable, so only over 150 pairs of pomelos remain.
"Each pair sells for over 1 million VND, and more than 70% of the pomelos have already been ordered by regular customers. For the remaining ones, I photograph each pomelo individually, showing its shape, and post them for sale on social media so customers can choose freely," Mr. Hoang added.
According to Mr. Tran Thanh Quang, a regular customer from Ho Chi Minh City, in the first year he went directly to the orchard to select each pomelo fruit for shaping before importing them for sale. However, for the past two years, he has only ordered a certain quantity of pomelos in specific shapes such as gourds, teardrops, and Buddha figures, which Mr. Hoang will deliver to Ho Chi Minh City on a designated date.
“The pomelos, shaped and carved with meaningful inscriptions, are suitable for display during Tet (Lunar New Year). Customers have praised the quality of the pomelos. Even after being displayed for over a month during Tet, they remain fresh and sweet. That’s why I chose to buy them to resell,” Mr. Quang added.
Ms. Le Thi Hue, from Binh Minh town, Vinh Long province, said that although she lives in a grapefruit-growing region, when she saw shaped grapefruits on social media, she bought some to decorate for Tet in 2023 and placed another order for the upcoming Year of the Dragon Tet holiday.
"Although the price is high, 1.3 million VND per pair, I'm satisfied because of the beautiful green color and the flawless skin of the pomelos. It gives me the belief that my life will be prosperous and everything will go smoothly in the new year when I display these pomelos," added Mrs. Hue.
"The number of pomelos meeting quality standards in 2023 is about 150 pairs, 100 fewer than in 2022, so the supply of pomelos may run out sooner than in previous years," Mr. Hoang added.
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