HÀ NỘI — Across Việt Nam, key farming hubs for flowers and ornamental plants are buzzing with activity as the Tết (Lunar New Year) approaches, with farmers robust plant health, eye-catching designs, surging consumer demand and broadly stable pricing.

In the northern port city of Hải Phòng, local Tết flower markets showcase kumquat trees from various origins, but longtime buyer Hoàng Văn Thức from Hà Đông commune prefers sourcing directly from Thanh Hà gardens. After inspecting the stock, he praised this year's standout shapes and forms, noting that premium trees go for around VNĐ1 million (US$38).

“Thanh Hà kumquats benefit from multi-year cultivation, giving them exceptional durability,” Thức explained. “Post-Tết, they’re perfect for replanting in home gardens, extending their value well beyond the holiday.”

The buzz started early at Nguyễn Văn Quý's kumquat operation in Lại Xá 2 village, Thanh Hà commune, where orders poured in from the every beginning of the 12th lunar month. Quý said prices are holding the line from last Tết, ranging from VNĐ300,000 - VNĐ2 million per tree, including pots to match varied buyer budgets. By February 9, about 60 per cent of his crop had been sold.

Over at Dương Thị Lập and Dương Văn Chín's garden, 200 trees are ready for Tết, and buyers from Quảng Ninh snapped up 80 of them two months ago.

“The benign weather, with little rain and no harsh cold snaps, lets the trees stretch out and shape themselves into something really special,” Lập said. With those early sales done, walk-in traffic has picked up recently. As of February 9, only about 60 trees are left to find their perfect homes before Lunar New Year's Eve.

About twenty years back, the farmers in Thanh Hà were growing kumquats mostly under lychee trees, just for the fruit. Then a few brave souls looked around, learned some ornamental tricks from farther away, and everything changed. Proven profitability drove others to follow suit, with 25 households now on the trade. From a tiny 360sq.m plot, they can pull in VNĐ80-85 million at harvest.

Neighboring kumquat areas in An Dương ward and An Khánh commune are also seeing the same steady stream of visitors these days.

Down in the Mekong Delta province of Vĩnh Long, two traditional ornamental flower villages in Long Đức ward are in full swing, with cultivation and sales in high gear. Blooms timed precisely for Tết are seeing robust demand, and the orders are rolling in from near and far, early and eager.

Long Đức ward is home to two ornamental flower villages officially recognised by the provincial People’s Committee since 2011, comprising 170 growing households. Together, they bring in VNĐ16–17 billion in annual revenue, keep steady jobs going for more than 350 locals, and deliver an average monthly income of about VNĐ7.7 million per person.

For Tết 2026, they are putting out about 375,000 pots of mixed ornamental flowers, a solid 10 per cent annual hike. Nearly half are already moved, with prices for these varieties holding broadly stable versus the previous season. — VNA/VNS