Farmers in Hanoi's Me Linh District start to harvest their red pomelos before the Lunar New Year. Trees producing red-skinned pomelos have been cultivated in Me Linh District for over 60 years. The trees bear green-skinned fruit around the eighth lunar month. Its skin gradually turns yellow in the tenth month and reddish orange around Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which peaks on Feb. 12 this year.
It is common belief in Vietnam that the red color brings good luck, especially on special occasions like Tet. As a part of a five-fruit tray offered to ancestors at Tet, pomelo is considered a must-have, if it is a red pomelo, all the better.
At Dong Cao Co-operative in Dong Cao Ward, Me Linh District, there are currently 20 orchards that grow this rare type of pomelo. "It requires five years for the tree to bear fruit. Each tree can produce up to 250 pomelos on average," said Luong Van Phuong, chairman of the co-operative.
