Dipper to Tet, Nhật Tân village (Tây Hồ district, Hanoi) is adorned with vibrant red hues as thousands of cherry blossoms bloom. The warm weather leading up to the Year of the Rabbit Tet has been favorable for the blossoming of Japanese cherry trees. During this time, consumers and traders from all over flock to the area to select their desired cherry trees and branches.
Impact of Weather and Typhoon Yagi
This Tet, due to the effects of Typhoon Yagi, many areas of cherry blossoms were flooded, causing significant damage and increasing both production costs and prices compared to previous years. At this time, local farmers are busy harvesting the cherry blossoms to meet the demand. Many growers noted that despite the September typhoon, the favorable weather conditions allowed the cherry blossoms to bloom beautifully, albeit at higher prices—up to 20-50% more than usual.
Efforts to Save the Cherry Blossoms and Their Results
The efforts to save the flooded cherry blossoms in Nhật Tân have been rewarded with beautiful blooms, fetching high prices and improving the economic situation for local growers. Mr. Toàn is busily securing cherry branches onto trucks for customers. He mentioned that nearly 50% of his orchard was flooded, but thanks to recovery efforts, the remaining cherry trees bloomed beautifully right on time. As a result, this year’s prices are significantly higher than in previous years.
Consumer Response
For many tourists and traders, Japanese cherry blossoms from Nhật Tân remain the top choice for Tet decorations or market supply. Ms. Hoàng Thị Bích from Đông Anh, Hanoi, who has been selling flowers at Hoàng Hoa Thám market for years, shared, “I’ve maintained the habit of selecting cherry blossoms from Nhật Tân or Phú Thượng for my Tet sales. However, this year, Phú Thượng suffered heavy losses, so most people will focus on Nhật Tân, driving up prices here compared to previous years.”
Bustling Atmosphere in the Cherry Blossom Village
Maintaining the tradition of visiting Nhật Tân to select cherry blossoms for Tet since 2019, Mr. Hà Giang from Thanh Hóa traveled by car to buy 8 cherry branches for his family’s Tet celebration. “Cherry blossoms this year are more expensive than before; the largest branch I bought cost over 3 million VND, and if purchased outside the orchard, it would be even more expensive, almost double the price of last year,” he shared.
Mr. Nguyễn Sơn Đại also visited the cherry blossom orchard to choose two branches for his family’s Tet display. “The cherry blossoms this year are more beautiful than ever, but the prices are higher due to the typhoon. Last year, I bought a similar branch for 1.2 million VND, while this year it costs 1.7 million VND,” he said.
The bustling atmosphere, with continuous truckloads of cherry blossoms passing through Nhật Tân village, signals the approaching Tet. Walking through flower markets like Quảng An, Lạc Long Quân, and Hoàng Hoa Thám, one can see the vibrant red hues of cherry blossoms everywhere.
Conclusion
Despite the higher prices of Japanese cherry blossoms in Nhật Tân this year due to Typhoon Yagi, the quality and beauty of the cherry blossoms continue to attract many consumers. The hard work of local farmers in restoring the orchards has paid off, bringing warmth and happiness to many families during Tet.
