Duong Van Hiep and his wife are residents of Hamlet 8 and own 150 plum trees aged from 5 to 13. Their harvest has been in full swing since the start of May and normally lasts for about a month and a half.

Hiep said: "To growers like us, it is the time of joy as we are reaping the rewards for a year of hard work. For over a week in the main harvest, the prices of small plums fluctuate from 10,000 to 15,000 VND per kg, and big ones from 20,000 to 30,000 VND."

According to Hiep, local plum trees bloom three times a year in January, March, and November. In March and November, there are fewer flowers and fewer fruits, yet their value is much higher. In total, the farmer earns close to 150 million VND from the fruit annually.

Hiep's neighbour, Pham Van Rung, also owner of a plum garden, is also fully occupied in the harvest season. The orchard has 100 trees at the age of over 10 which are expected to yield more than 10 tonnes of fruit this crop, meaning approximately 150 million VND in turnover.

Rung said: "Perhaps the plum suits the local soil and weather, as it grows well and offers high productivity with minimal care and investment. In a year, I only apply organic fertiliser and use biological pesticides during flowering and fruiting periods.”

With its distinctive sweet and sour taste, plums are a specialty of affordable prices and proven quality. Local people are eager to develop the fruit into an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product, establish related value chain linkages, and create sustainable outputs for them.