Coronavirus hits flower gardens hinh anh 1Over 100ha of flowers in Ha Loi village are at risk of going to waste now the village is in coronavirus lockdown. (Photo: VOV)

Hanoi (VNS/VNA)
- Looking out at their fields of white chrysanthemums that are ready to be harvested, Nga and her husband feel sad because they won't be able to sell any of them.

At a price of 3,000-4,000 VND per stem, she could have earned 50-60 million VND (2,100-2,500 USD).

"This year, the price of chrysanthemums has dropped to about 1,000 VND per stem but still no one will buy them," Nga told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Many flower gardens covering over 100ha in Ha Loi village are at risk of being abandoned or going to waste due to the lockdown decision in Hanoi’s Me Linh commune, Me Linh district, on April 7 afternoon after a local tested positive for COVID-19.

The roads to Ha Loi village are quiet now, and most people are staying at home.

The only people out and about are health workers who are going from house to house conducting tests after four cases of the disease were confirmed.

Growing flowers is the main source of income for people here.

"It's painful. I cannot harvest or sell them. They will die. But it is for the safety of the community," Nga said.

Nguyen Quoc Dien has a large flower growing area in Ha Loi village, and said he was worried because the flowers were wilting.

"Our main source of income is from growing flowers and ornamental plants like roses, chrysanthemums and lilies. We are in isolation and cannot harvest the flowers for sale. I could lose 200 million VND, but I have accepted that and will start again when the disease is wiped out," Dien said.

Ta Quang Thai, Chairman of the Me Linh commune People's Committee, said there are about 150ha of flower in the whole commune, of which 100ha are in Ha Loi village.

This should be a busy time for them.

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic, farmers have been facing difficulties finding buyers because flowers are a non-essential item.

Flower trading was halted and farmers had suffered losses since the first resident was infected by the disease, Thai said.

"Villagers have been told to stay at home, and restrictions on tending to our flowers have also been recommended. The local government is looking at the damage and will make a proposal to the district People's Committee to help people restore production," he said./.
VNA