Present at Na Ka plum valley in Thao Nguyen ward early in the morning, one can easily sense the bustling atmosphere of work across the hillsides and orchards.

Hau A Tang, Secretary of the Party cell and head of Pa Khen residential area, said that the locality has more than 500 households, 90% of them grow plums on a total area of over 150 hectares. Local farmers have paid close attention to proper cultivation and care techniques, resulting in large, high-quality fruit. Traders from many localities come to purchase the plums, and long-established business relationships have helped maintain a relatively stable market for the fruit.

Standing out in Na Ka is an over-3-hectare orchard owned by Lau A Giang’s family in Pa Khen residential area. The branches, laden with ripe red plums, are the result of the family’s tireless care and cultivation efforts.

Excitedly sharing about this year’s crop, Giang said that his family is expected to harvest around 30 tonnes of plums this season. Depending on fruit size, the plums are purchased for 10,000-30,000 VND (1.14 USD) per kilogramme, with the family projected to earn more than 400 million VND from the harvest.

After being harvested, baskets of fresh, glossy plums are carefully loaded onto motorbikes and trucks for transport to gathering points.

Busy recording transactions, Nguyen Thi Huong, a trader from Hanoi, shared that Moc Chau plums have always held a special appeal in the market thanks to their outstanding quality. This year, local farmers have applied cultivation techniques effectively, resulting in large, evenly round fruit with an attractive deep-red colour and rich sweetness.

Each day, she purchases between 10 and 15 tonnes of various grades of plums at prices ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 VND per kilogramme for distribution to major wholesale markets in Hanoi and southern localities.

In addition to generating income from fruit sales, many plum orchards have opened to visitors for sightseeing and plum-picking experiences, with entrance fees ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 VND per person.

Large numbers of tourists, dressed in the traditional costumes of local ethnic communities, eagerly capture memorable moments amid orchards laden with ripe fruit, while enjoying the experience of picking and tasting fresh, delicious plums. 
 

Currently, the Moc Chau Plateau is home to nearly 3,500 hectares of plum orchards. To support farmers in selling their produce, local authorities have developed trade promotion plans for plums since the beginning of the year.

At the same time, efforts have continued to promote and boost plum consumption through e-commerce platforms, while expanding distribution to supermarkets and retail chains. Authorities have also supported and encouraged cooperatives and businesses to purchase plums and develop processed products such as dried plums, preserved plums, plum syrup and plum wine. These measures have helped ease pressure on selling local plums.

Nguyen Thanh Van, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Thao Nguyen ward, said that in order to promote, introduce and connect consumption markets for Moc Chau plums, the ward will organise the 2026 Fruit-Picking Festival at Na Ka plum valley in Pa Khen residential area at the end of May.

The event is expected to provide an opportunity for growers to exchange experience, learn from one another, improve their knowledge and skills in plum cultivation and care, and encourage the development of higher-value products made from Moc Chau plums.

With the support of local authorities in connecting agricultural products to markets, together with farmers’ proactive investment and application of science and technology to improve cultivation techniques and product quality, Moc Chau plums are increasingly meeting consumer demand and preferences. These efforts, along with building brand and maintaining stable business partnerships, are expected to further boost consumption and provide more stable incomes for people across the Moc Chau Plateau through plum cultivation.