CAN THO – Flower farmers in the Mekong Delta have cut their production for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday (Tet) by half, or even 70% in some areas, compared with last year due to concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Truong Van Nhung, leader of the My Phong Flower Production Cooperative in My Tho City, Tien Giang Province, said the total yield of all the members of the cooperative had dropped 70% from last year.
“Farmers have scaled down their production as they are worried about the low demand. They will mainly sell their flowers to traders for distribution to other localities. A small amount will be sold at local spring flower festivals,” he said.
According to Bui Thanh Liem, director of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Cho Lach District, Ben Tre Province, the yield of perennial bonsai trees has not declined significantly because the farmers can keep them for next year if they are not able to sell the trees this year.
Meanwhile, the production of short-maturity flowers has been severely affected because they cannot be kept for next year.
In other large flower cultivation regions in the Mekong Delta such as the Sa Dec Flower Village in Dong Thap Province and the Ba Bo Flower Village in Can Tho City, the flower yield this year has also dropped sharply.
The Mekong Delta is the largest flower cultivation region in the country. It is the leading supplier of flowers for HCMC and other southern provinces during Tet – the biggest holiday of the year.
