In the days leading up to Tet, in Thanh Ha commune (Hai Phong city), besides familiar peach blossoms, kumquats, and ornamental pomelos, purple sugarcane grown in pots began to appear and quickly attracted the attention of buyers. From a type of crop serving agricultural production, purple sugarcane was "transformed" into a ornamental plant for Tet, opening up a new economic direction for local people.
Mr. Nguyen Van Quy's family, Lai Xa 2 village, Thanh Ha commune is one of the households that put purple sugarcane in pots to sell during Tet. According to Mr. Quy, the idea originated from the actual needs of the market, when many families still maintain the habit of placing sugarcane in their houses on the first day of the year but want to have products that are neater and more aesthetically pleasing than traditional sugarcane.
The process of growing sugarcane in pots requires early preparation and careful care. Right from the end of May of the lunar calendar, Mr. Quy has started planting seedlings, selecting healthy, even seedlings, combined with alluvial soil and pots with suitable sizes for the plants to grow stably.
In the care process, pest and disease prevention is prioritized, because if the tree's trunk is bent, rotten, or infected, it does not meet the requirements for being put on the market.
By the time approaching Tet, purple sugarcane pots have all developed evenly, 1.2-1.5m high, straight stems, beautiful colors, many pots have sprouts appearing around the roots, creating eye-catching shapes. Each pot usually has 7-9 trees, which are considered suitable by customers to display in the living room, in front of the porch or in worship spaces at the beginning of the year.
In addition to aesthetics, pot sugarcane also has the advantage that after Tet, it can be harvested for use. If continued care, the plant has the ability to regenerate for the next season, helping buyers save costs. The selling price of each pot is about 500,000 VND, suitable for the general customer segment.
In the first year of implementing the model, Mr. Quy's family put more than 80 purple sugarcane pots on the market. To date, nearly 30 pots have been ordered by customers inside and outside the locality. According to Mr. Quy's sharing with Lao Dong Newspaper, the amount of sugarcane sold is gradually increasing as Tet approaches, many pots have been chosen by customers from the garden.
From a familiar agricultural product, potted purple sugarcane is showing its potential to become a unique Tet ornamental plant, contributing to enriching the market and bringing a new direction for Thanh Ha farmers during the Spring season.
