The prolonged hot weather has helped farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre reap a bumper harvest of kumquat fruits for export.

Farmers in the province said the fruit was being exported to many regional countries including Laos , Thailand and Cambodia .

The hot weather has created favourable conditions for large quantities of kumquat in the districts of Mo Cay Bac, Mo Cay Nam , Chau Thanh and Cho Lach.

Traders are buying the fruit from farmers for 6,000 VND - 8,000 VNDper kilo, double last year's prices. At local markets, kumquats are being sold at 9,000 VND - 10,000 VND per kilo and at 15,000 VND - 17,000 VND per kilo for the best quality, an increase of 3,000 VND - 4,000 VNDper kilo over last year.

Kumquat farmers in the province say they have been able to earn profits of more than 200 million VND (11,000 USD) from each hectare./.