Thanh shows off his wine gourd grapefruits.
Thanh shows off his wine gourd grapefruits
Vo Trung Thanh from Phu Hu commune, Chau Thanh District in the Mekong Delta region began by teaching himself how to grow wine gourd shaped grapefruits. Later, in 2006, he succeeded in producing one on which you could read the words “Tài, Lộc, (literally translated as “Talent and Wealth”).
Thanh said that these specially shaped fruits bring in five times the profit of normal grapefruits.
Thanh said that these specially shaped fruits bring in five times the profit of normal grapefruits.
One of Liem's gold tael-shaped melons
Thanh tried many different techniques in order to grow more of these fruits. In 2008, his success rate was at about 40%. Then he approached a local plastics company to produce moulds based on his designs in order to grow on a larger scale. Since then his success rate has risen to 70%.
He’s filed for a trademark with the National Office of Intellectual Property for his original wine gourd shaped grapefruits. Last September he received a certificate of merit from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
This year he hopes to grow around 4,200 of his special grapefruits. Two Ho Chi Minh City businesses have already agreed to buy half of his crop. The rest he hopes to sell during Tet.
Also in the Mekong Delta, Tran Thanh Liem, of Can Tho city, has specialised in growing yellow watermelons shaped like gold taels and squares.
After growing water melons for 20 years he saw a program on television where Japanese farmers used moulds to shape their watermelons. He thought that if he mimicked their practice he could make more money.
After many attempts, he succeeded in growing four of his specially-shaped melons in 2008. He sold them for VND2 million (USD100) per pair.
Liem said that it takes a lot of time and effort to grow specially shaped fruits. And even though initially only about 35% of his crop was successful, it was worth in in the end. Last year he grew 20 pairs of his special fruit and sold them for VND3 million (USD150) each.
This year Liem hopes to have 230 pairs of his specially shaped fruits ready for Tet.
He’s filed for a trademark with the National Office of Intellectual Property for his original wine gourd shaped grapefruits. Last September he received a certificate of merit from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
This year he hopes to grow around 4,200 of his special grapefruits. Two Ho Chi Minh City businesses have already agreed to buy half of his crop. The rest he hopes to sell during Tet.
Also in the Mekong Delta, Tran Thanh Liem, of Can Tho city, has specialised in growing yellow watermelons shaped like gold taels and squares.
After growing water melons for 20 years he saw a program on television where Japanese farmers used moulds to shape their watermelons. He thought that if he mimicked their practice he could make more money.
After many attempts, he succeeded in growing four of his specially-shaped melons in 2008. He sold them for VND2 million (USD100) per pair.
Liem said that it takes a lot of time and effort to grow specially shaped fruits. And even though initially only about 35% of his crop was successful, it was worth in in the end. Last year he grew 20 pairs of his special fruit and sold them for VND3 million (USD150) each.
This year Liem hopes to have 230 pairs of his specially shaped fruits ready for Tet.
Source: dtinews
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