Na Ka Plum Valley, the location of the Moc Chau Plum Harvesting Festival.

Moc Chau boasts the largest area of ​​plum cultivation in Vietnam, with a total area of ​​nearly 3,500 hectares; of which, approximately 3,000 hectares are currently producing fruit. Moc Chau plums are grown and cared for according to VietGAP standards, a safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly organic production process. Moc Chau plums and processed plum products are becoming increasingly well-known to domestic and international tourists.

Moc Chau Plum Harvesting Festival 2024.

Cultural performances at the festival.

The Moc Chau district's plum harvesting festival is held annually. To date, after seven editions, the festival has become an annual cultural and tourism event, a distinctive agricultural tourism "brand" of Moc Chau district. Through the festival, the Moc Chau plum brand is increasingly affirmed; creating trust, excitement, and pride among plum growers, and making a significant contribution to creating new, unique, and attractive tourism products for the Moc Chau National Tourist Area – a leading natural destination in the region and a world leader.

Delegates, local people, and tourists attended the festival.

The 8th Moc Chau District Plum Harvesting Festival in 2024 continues to promote the message of "Producing clean agricultural products while protecting the environment"; it is also an activity aimed at preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the ethnic groups in Moc Chau. From early morning, a large number of people and tourists flocked to the Na Ka plum valley in Pa Khen 1 village, Moc Chau Agricultural Town, to participate in the festival. This plum valley is considered the most beautiful in the North, surrounded by majestic and picturesque mountain ranges, covering an area of ​​over 1,000 hectares.

The organizers presented commemorative flags to the participating teams.

Following a spectacular art performance showcasing the rich cultural identity of the ethnic groups on the plateau, delegates and tourists immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere. Eight teams from various communes and towns began participating in the competitions. The most anticipated event was the fruit-picking competition, requiring participants to pick the fruit by hand, without shaking the tree, breaking branches, damaging the fruit, or performing any actions that could harm the plum tree. Amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the locals and tourists, in just 3 minutes, the four members of the team from Moc Chau Agricultural Farm town picked the most plums, totaling 40.5 kg.

The fruit-picking competition at the festival.

The fruit-picking competition at the festival.

The fruit-picking competition is the most anticipated event at the festival.

The organizers weighed the number of plums that each team had picked.

Equally exciting was the fruit-eating contest using the plums that the teams had just harvested. Each team would select one representative to participate in the plum-eating challenge, with rules such as: the contestant must demonstrate an appealing manner while eating the plums, and minimal fruit flesh should be left on the pit. In the fruit display competition, the highlight was the ripe red plums combined with other characteristic agricultural products of Moc Chau, skillfully arranged to form a tourism map or famous tourist sites on the Moc Chau plateau...

The plum-eating contest.

The fruit platter display competition.

At the festival, the organizing committee honored 9 exemplary farmers and cooperatives who have contributed to building the Moc Chau plum brand. As the cooperative recognized as the exemplary Moc Chau plum cultivation and processing cooperative in 2024, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Van, Director of the Moc Chau Clean Agricultural Products Cooperative, shared: The festival is a source of pride and excitement for plum growers, affirming the position, role, and value of Moc Chau plums. Through the festival, we hope to introduce and promote to domestic and international consumers the superior quality of Moc Chau plums, known for their crispness, sweetness, aroma, and especially their safety and health benefits.

Leaders of Moc Chau district presented certificates to outstanding farmers and cooperatives growing late-season plums.

Amidst the bustling crowds participating in the festival, Mr. Bui Thanh Hung, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "Coming to Moc Chau, I felt the refreshing atmosphere, the clean air, and the many beautiful sights. The best part was participating in the fruit-picking festival for the first time, seeing the ancient plum trees laden with fruit, and enjoying the fresh, delicious plums right in the orchard. I bought a lot of plums to take home as gifts for family and friends."

Tourists capture beautiful images in the plum orchard.

The festival became even more lively with folk sports and games competitions such as tug-of-war, stilt walking, and dragon egg carrying, offering exciting and unforgettable experiences, leaving a deep impression on delegates and tourists.

The tug-of-war competition at the festival.

Mr. Le Trong Binh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Moc Chau District, happily stated: "Moc Chau plums are a clean fruit, meeting safety standards. The Moc Chau plum production area is included in the Son La province's safe fruit production zone plan. We will continue to guide farmers to produce according to safety standards and promote them to domestic and international friends."

The leaders of Moc Chau district presented flowers to the sponsoring organizations.

The Moc Chau Fruit Harvesting Festival, taking place over two days, May 17th and 18th, will offer exciting and unforgettable experiences, leaving a lasting impression on every visitor. It will further contribute to raising awareness about building a culture of environmental protection within the community, helping Moc Chau live up to its title as a "Leading Regional Nature Destination in the World".

Reporters' Team

A lively fruit-picking festival on the plateau (baosonla.org.vn)