Guests grope each garden, hunting for red grapefruits “going to the king” engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi

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The “going to the king” red grapefruits printed with the words wealth and fortune at many garden houses in Me Linh, Hanoi are sold out.

Guests grope each garden, hunting for red grapefruits to present to the king to engrave words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 1

Dong Cao village, Trang Viet commune, Me Linh district, Hanoi is where the rare red grapefruit variety is preserved, also known as gac grapefruit or king red grapefruit.

This is a very unique grapefruit variety. When it is young, it is green like other grapefruit varieties, but as it gets older, it gradually turns yellow and when ripe, it completely changes to red like a gac fruit, and has a special aroma. display.

Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruits to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 2

According to Mr. Luong Van Phuong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dong Cao Red Grapefruit Cooperative, although there are still 3 weeks until the Lunar New Year 2024, the number of red grapefruits shaped like the letters of wealth and fortune in the garden has been ordered.

Each grapefruit is sold for 250,000 VND because the grower has to shape it meticulously and skillfully.

Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruits to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 3
Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruits to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 4

Dong Cao grapefruit is divided into two types: men cake grapefruit and plump grapefruit, which are molded into the shape of the words “talent and fortune” right from when the fruit is still young. 

Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruits to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 5

“Each tree only produces an average of 80-100 fruits. The care and shaping process is very elaborate. Customers and traders come to the garden to place orders early, we don’t have enough to sell,” Mr. Phuong said.

Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruits to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 6
Guests grope each garden, hunt for red grapefruit to present to the king, engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 7

Also according to Mr. Phuong, the reason red grapefruit is popular is because ripe red grapefruit symbolizes luck and prosperity. Especially, on Tet days, spraying a little wine on grapefruit will give off a pleasant aroma that will last for months.

This type of grapefruit can be preserved for 2 months. The grapefruit pulp is not only red but also succulent and very sweet. 

Guests grope each garden, hunting for red grapefruit to present to the king engraved with words of wealth and fortune in Hanoi - 8

A few years ago, this type of grapefruit was rare and very expensive. To have a pair of VIP grapefruits to display during the Lunar New Year, many people have to spend 1.2-1.4 million VND. 

For many years, in Dong Cao village, people have been racing to grow red grapefruit, with the fewest houses having a dozen roots, the larger houses having hundreds of roots. Many other localities have also begun to propagate red grapefruit. However, Dong Cao red grapefruit still has the most stable price.

Red grapefruit is exported to the market usually from December 20 until close to Lunar New Year. Many families have the habit of worshiping grapefruit from the day of the Kitchen God until the end of the full moon day of the first lunar month

($1~24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)

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