Immediately after the rice harvesting competition, the teams continued with the hawthorn apple harvesting competition at the 2nd Golden Harvest Festival in 2025 in Xim Vang commune, attracting a large number of ethnic people and tourists from all over to participate.
The hawthorn trees are laden with fruit, ready for harvest.
According to the rules, each team, consisting of one male and one female wearing traditional ethnic costumes, will compete in apple picking for 15 minutes in the Xim Vang village area. Scoring criteria will be based on the quantity and quality of the apples, ensuring they are evenly ripened, undamaged, and the skill in safely picking apples without harming the growth and development of the trees.
The teams competed in picking hawthorn berries.
Apple picking requires skill, care, and stamina; competing teams must climb tall, old apple trees to select each cluster of ripe fruit.
The joy of harvesting apples.
The hawthorn tree, also known as the wild apple, has long been associated with the lives of ethnic minority communities in the highlands of Son La province. Not only does it contribute to greening barren land and hills, but the hawthorn tree also provides a significant source of income, improving the economic lives of the local people. It has become a valuable product of the highland communities, and the commune is actively promoting and introducing this product to increase its value.
The organizing committee inspected the apples of the teams after they had been harvested.
The apple-picking competition aims to celebrate the beauty of the Mong ethnic people and encourage them to protect and develop the hawthorn tree, while also promoting the local specialties to tourists from all over.