Hanoi (VNA) - As the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2026 approaches, flower and ornamental plant villages nationwide are entering their peak season, with the market showing a mix of vibrant prospects and mounting challenges.
In Hung Yen province, the flower and ornamental village of Me So (Hung Yen) is buzzing with activity as growers rush to meet Tet demand. Hung Tam Garden has drawn attention with large-scale artistic creations made from ancient mandarin trees, notably the work “Ma dao thanh cong”(Horse returns, success comes), featuring eight meticulously shaped horses symbolising prosperity and good fortune. According to garden owner Nguyen Van Hung, the 15-tonne installation uses eight rare mandarin trunks with bright red fruit, conveying wishes for wealth and success in the new year.
Also in Hung Yen, taking advantage of fertile alluvial soil along the Red River, farmer Trinh Ngoc Tiep in Hiep Cuong commune has pioneered large-scale flower cultivation. Investing over five hectares in chrysanthemum production, he is currently selling flowers at 4,000 VND (0.15 USD) per stem, achieving profits more than double traditional crops while creating stable jobs for 10 local workers.
Hung Yen now has more than 3,300 ha of flowers and ornamental plants. Nguyen Thi Thu, Deputy Director of the provincial Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said flower growing has become a high-value economic sector, generating hundreds of millions to billions of VND per hectare annually. The province is pursuing a sustainable development strategy that prioritises quality and branding over rapid expansion, strengthening key production hubs for domestic and export markets.
In contrast, growers in Da Lat, Lam Dong province, are facing losses as cymbidium orchids bloom prematurely, nearly a month ahead of Tet. Many gardens have seen 80–90% of orchids flower early, forcing farmers to cut stems for retail sale at much lower prices. Tran Anh Huy, an orchid grower in Langbiang ward, said his family must sell cut flowers for 40,000–50,000 VND per stem instead of whole pots that could fetch several million VND if sold during Tet.
According to the Da Lat Flower Association, the Da Lat area currently has around 35 ha under cymbidium orchid cultivation, with annual output exceeding 250,000 stems. During the peak Tet season each year, potted cymbidium orchids command very high prices, averaging 300,000 VND per stem, while premium varieties favoured by the market can fetch 900,000 VND or even more than 1 million VND per stem.
Meanwhile, in Vinh Long province, early blooming has also affected chrysanthemum growers in Cho Lach district. Many have proactively sought alternative sales channels to minimise losses, while carefully tending remaining plants expected to bloom on schedule. At the Phuoc Dinh yellow apricot village in An Binh commune, growers are closely monitoring buds and timing leaf removal in hopes of a stronger Tet market, despite currently subdued demand.
According to the Vinh Long Department of Agriculture and Environment, local farmers produce 10–12 million flower and ornamental products each Tet season, mainly traditional varieties such as chrysanthemums, marigolds and yellow apricot blossoms. For many growers, Tet remains the most important crop of the year, carrying hopes for favourable prices, stable incomes and a prosperous start to the new year./.
