Cultivation and sales of Buddha's Hand bananas for Tet
Appearance and decorative significance
These days, in the praying-hand-shaped banana orchard—also known as Buddha's Hand bananas—belonging to Mr. Trương Hoàn Thiện in Tân Yên hamlet, Gia Kiệm commune (Đồng Nai province), preparations are underway for the harvest season serving the Lunar New Year market.
Amidst the lush green banana garden of about 1 hectare, uniquely shaped banana bunches gradually reveal themselves as they are meticulously covered and tended by the grower. Each bunch fans out evenly into hands that look like palms brought together in prayer, creating a distinctive image completely different from traditional banana varieties.
According to reports, Buddha's Hand banana is a relatively new variety in Vietnam. Not only does it impress with its distinctive shape, but it is also favored by many for its auspicious, spiritual meaning, symbolizing peace and prosperity. Therefore, every Tet season, Buddha's Hand bananas are eagerly sought after for display and for arranging on the five-fruit offering tray at the beginning of the year.
Trial planting process and orchard expansion
Mr. Thiện shared that about two years ago, during a visit to several new agricultural production models, he accidentally came across this unique banana variety. Recognizing its market potential, he decided to purchase 200 seedlings for trial cultivation.
“Initially, I only planted them to see if this variety was suitable for the local soil. To my surprise, the plants grew well, were rarely affected by the weather, and the market outlet was quite stable. Seeing its efficiency, I boldly propagated the plants and expanded the area to about 1 hectare today,” Mr. Thiện shared.
Buddha's Hand bananas have a growth period similar to many other banana varieties, but the care process requires greater meticulousness. While the plants are developing bunches, the grower must monitor them closely to ensure the hands develop evenly, without breaking or bending crookedly, in order to meet display requirements during the Lunar New Year.
“Customers purchasing Buddha's Hand bananas mainly use them for display and religious offerings, so they are very particular. The banana bunch must look beautiful, with the hands fanning out evenly resembling Buddha's hands to fetch a good price. Therefore, the selling price is also much higher than regular bananas,” said Mr. Thiện.
Selling prices and market demand
Thanks to expanding the planting area, the yield of Buddha's Hand bananas in Mr. Thiện's orchard has increased significantly this year. On average, each banana hand weighs from 2 to 5 kg, depending on size and shape. Farm-gate prices range in the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese dong per hand. Beautiful bunches meeting the standards for Tet display can command even higher prices.
Customers contacting Mr. Thiện's orchard come mainly from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, mostly placing orders early to be in time for the Tet market. In addition, many fruit traders and fruit shops in Đồng Nai, after learning about this variety, have also actively reached out to place orders.
“This Tet market almost has insufficient supply to meet demand. Buddha's Hand bananas are becoming known to more and more people, so orders are increasing very rapidly. I only dare to accept small retail orders, because the supply is not enough to fulfill large wholesale quantities for traders,” Mr. Thiện said.
According to some fruit traders in Đồng Nai, the trend of consumers searching for uniquely shaped fruits with symbolic meanings for Tet display is becoming increasingly popular. Alongside familiar fruits, unique and distinctive agricultural products like Buddha's Hand bananas are creating a sensation in the market.
Potential to elevate agricultural value
For farmers, boldly restructuring crops and seeking new plant varieties that match market demand is considered a sustainable direction, contributing to higher incomes, especially during peak seasons like the Lunar New Year.
Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thắng, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Đồng Nai province, said that Buddha's Hand banana is a new product introduced from abroad into Vietnam. If quality and market outlets are properly controlled, this banana variety holds great potential, contributing to enhancing the value of agricultural products in the market, especially during the peak Lunar New Year season.