According to people in the highlands, the flying season usually starts from late June to early August, but only appears about once every 4 years. For nearly half a month, the protective forest in Kon Plong commune, Quang Ngai province has applied the typical red color of ripe fresh fruit.
When the wind blows strongly, the fresh fruits stuck to the dried leaf trunks will separate branches, rotate in the air like brown crow's flowers, then fall to the ground or get stuck in the forest canopy. Not only is it enchanted by the beauty when falling, this fruit also brings high economic value, attracting a large number of people to the "heavenly" forest to hunt for " everlasting fruit".
Standing from Truong Son Dong Street in Kon Plong Commune, you can easily see the bright red, ripe fresh plants in the middle of the deep green forest. Recently, along the forest entrances in Kon Plong commune, hundreds of people have flocked to the forest to pick fresh fruit.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, residing in Son Tay commune, shared with Lao Dong Newspaper reporters: "This year's flying season is very exciting for the people. The purchase price is up to 420,000 VND/kg - the highest ever. In 2021, it was only about 200,000 VND/kg. Every day I buy about 100 kg of fresh fruit from people. avian star fruit is a rare natural medicinal herb, used both as a medicine and a refreshing drink, so it is very popular with the market".
In addition to picking up fresh fruits that have fallen to the ground, many people also use ropes and rope ladders to climb up near the tops of the trees, then use sticks to hit the fruit and make it fall.
Fresh plants have many different names such as: Fresh fruit, jelly, flying oil, seaweed, An Nam Tu. According to Chinese medicine, the fresh fruit has a sweet, cool taste, goes into the stools, helps to clear heat, detoxify, and relieve constipation. This medicinal herb is often used to treat coughing, sore throat, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, urethral bleeding, urinary tract infection, tooth pain, pain in the red eye, boils... Fries are also used to make soft drinks.
In addition to exploitation in the forest, people can also grow freshwater plants in their own gardens. After harvesting, fresh fruit is sold to traders for domestic consumption or export to China.
In order to protect forests and natural sources of flying frog, the forest rangers strictly prohibit the acts of cutting down, cutting branches, or using chemicals to make fallen fruit.
Speaking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporter on July 10, Mr. Phan Quoc Vu - Director of Thach Nham Protective Forest Management Board - said: "Every time the Freshman season comes, the unit increases patrols and controls in areas with freshman trees to prevent deforestation. Before this year's fresh season, we held a meeting in Kon Plong commune to propagate and require people to sign a commitment not to cut down branches or cut down trees during the harvest. Fresh plants grow everywhere, so it is difficult to count the exact area, but it is estimated to be about a few hundred hectares".
