Tet gifts made of delicious rice are in high demand

ST25 rice in 2kg boxes is included in Tet gift baskets - Photo: LE DAN

ST25 rice – once honored as “the best in the world” – is now chosen by many consumers as a gift.

Boxes of fragrant rice from Soc Trang are not only a wish for prosperity at the beginning of the year but also contribute to the consumption of Vietnamese agricultural products. When giving rice, the giver not only conveys his heart but also shares his wishes for abundance and luck in the new year.

No more worries about choosing Tet gifts

According to Ms. Xuan Lan, about 5 years ago, giving rice could make the recipient feel embarrassed. But now, the ST25 fragrant rice bag of the “Mr. Crab” brand has become a meaningful and practical gift.

She shared: “Holding 100,000 - 200,000 VND to buy a gift is often difficult, and giving money is even more unreasonable. Since ST fragrant rice was available, I always choose it as a gift. When visiting friends or relatives, giving Soc Trang specialties is both meaningful and convenient.”

Mr. Chi Linh (from Dong Thap, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City) also agrees. Every time friends from Soc Trang visit and give him ST25 rice, he is very excited.

“Giving each other bags of rice is a practical way to share, helping to consume agricultural products while saving money. There is nothing better than cooking rice from the world’s best rice to eat with braised pork and pickled onions during Tet,” said Mr. Linh.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, Ms. Doan Tuyet Anh in Ca Mau chose rice as a gift for customers and partners, considering it a symbol of luck and prosperity. “Giving rice at the beginning of the year shows the wish for abundance and prosperity. Rice is a practical gift that everyone can use,” Ms. Anh shared.

ST25 – VIP rice of Techpal Group is used as a gift – Photo: KHAC TAM

Delicious rice ST25 "sold out" during Tet

Since winning the title of “world’s best rice” in November 2019, ST25 rice has always been the top choice of consumers, especially during Tet.

Mr. Nguyen Binh Khiem, owner of a Mekong Delta specialty store in Can Tho City, said the trend of giving rice as a Tet gift is becoming more and more popular and replacing many traditional items.

“At this time, corporate customers order large quantities as gifts, causing the supply to be insufficient. Retail customers often increase sharply near Tet,” said Mr. Khiem.

The store also integrates ST25 rice into Tet gift baskets along with many other specialties of the Western region. “Delicious, clean, quality rice is not only a health gift but also practical because everyone can use it,” Mr. Khiem added.

Besides Mr. Ho Quang Cua's family, many companies have focused on both product quality and packaging design to create attraction.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Dinh, General Director of Techpal Group - the unit coordinating with the People's Committee of Tran De district (Soc Trang province) to grow ST25 rice from purebred varieties - said that the raw material area is cultivated according to strict food safety standards.

Currently, the company's ST25 product is available on the market with specialized paper box and paper bag packaging, not only preserving the characteristic flavor but also suitable as a gift.

In addition to the domestic market, products have been exported to Australia and the Czech Republic, and are in negotiations to expand to Bulgaria and South Korea.

Ma Do Tea - a green forest specialty priced at nearly 3 million VND/kg

Every spring, people in Xuan Loc commune (Song Cau town, Phu Yen) gather together to go to Cu Mong peak to pick Ma Do tea - a type of green tea that grows naturally at an altitude of 500 - 700m. This tea is considered a rare specialty, only harvested in spring from January to March of the lunar calendar.

Ma Do tea grows naturally, in limited quantity. A professional picker can only collect 1-4kg of fresh tea per day (equivalent to 250g of dry tea).

The processing is completely manual: the tea is selected, withered, crushed, ripened and sun-dried until it reaches its characteristic flavor. The dry tea is black, when brewed it turns from black to light pink, has a slightly astringent taste and a sweet aftertaste.

Due to its complexity and rarity, Ma Do tea costs VND3 million per kilogram and must be ordered in advance. Local resident Tran Thi Loan said harvesting has become increasingly difficult as the tea has been affected by past wars, forest fires and over-exploitation.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Chairman of Xuan Loc Commune People's Committee, commented that Ma Do tea brings high income to people thanks to its great economic value.

However, preserving this natural tea variety is not easy due to its special growing conditions. Realizing the economic benefits, people have gradually focused on protecting tea trees instead of exploiting them indiscriminately as before.

In December 2024, the Science and Technology Council of Phu Yen province accepted the project "Research, application and development of Ma Do tea tree".

This project has been successful in propagating tea plants, building production and processing processes for commercial tea. The plan to preserve and develop this tea variety is expected to increase economic value and create a unique brand for Phu Yen.