Buzz
Visitors to Moc Chau during these days can admire endless hills of plum trees lining both sides of the road, hidden behind lush green foliage are clusters of ripe red plums dangling heavily from the branches.
Exploring Moc Chau in May, the season of ripe plums
From the center of Moc Chau town, take a right turn towards Tan Lap for about 20km, witnessing the bustling scene of traders flocking from everywhere to buy and transport plums for distribution far and wide.
Moc Chau (Son La) is considered the largest plum hub in the country, with plums extensively cultivated in the Nong Truong town and Tan Lap commune areas. Mid-May, as plums begin to ripen, marks the start of harvest season, with orchard owners selling wholesale to traders from the lowlands.
The Moc Chau plateau is blessed with favorable weather and soil conditions for plum trees to thrive, yielding plums of superior quality - crisp, fragrant, and juicy compared to those from other regions.
Mango has become a staple crop, aiding in poverty alleviation for locals for many years.
After being carefully picked, mangoes are sorted by size and packed into foam boxes for transportation. Traders simply load the boxes onto trucks and distribute them across the country.
Visitors to Moc Chau during this time can explore vast mango orchards, participate in the harvest alongside locals, and indulge in the season's first fruits.
For gifts, it's best to select fresh, plump mangoes with smooth, unblemished skin, free from insect bites and bruises. Prices range from 40,000 to 50,000 VND per kilogram, with larger, more beautiful ones fetching higher prices of 55,000 to 60,000 VND per kilogram.
As a rustic gift, mangoes, available only once a year, are a popular choice among many.
Simply dipping mangoes in a mix of salt and chili is enough to make many crave for more. For a more elaborate dish, thinly slice mangoes and toss them with chili powder and sugar. Many families also make mango preserves and mango juice for long-term enjoyment.
