Brian Jeffrey
The destruction left by Typhoon Yagi’s flooding is deeply affecting Van Giang, a key ornamental plant growing area in Hung Yen province, Vietnam.
Rising waters from the Red River have inundated vast areas, affecting the livelihoods of many local farmers. The water has lingered for days, causing immense damage, with losses running into the hundreds of millions of VND.
Known as northern Vietnam’s primary ornamental plant hub, Van Giang covers nearly 1,000 hectares and supports numerous families, especially during festive times like Tet. Early reports suggest that around 70% of the households engaged in this industry have been severely impacted.
One of the many affected farmers, Mr. Dinh Van Thach, cultivates a variety of plants on his seven-acre land, including kumquat and pomelo trees, traditionally sold during Tet. He mentioned, “A single pomelo tree could be worth up to 10 million VND,” symbolizing the scale of his losses. Unfortunately, due to the flood, his pomelo trees have all perished.
On September 21, Mr. Thach checked his kumquat trees, most of which had darkened trunks, indicating they were beyond recovery. Despite the bleak situation, he remains hopeful to save some by using root stimulants. “I’ll attempt to salvage what I can,” he said, displaying his disappointment.
Mr. Thach anticipates losses exceeding 500 million VND yet plans to clean his garden and apply for loans to revive his business.
Mrs. Thu has also suffered significant losses; her garden, normally sheltered, was completely submerged, destroying every plant. As she began the clean-up process, she reflected on her misfortune, stating, “It hurts to lose everything, but others are suffering more. We farmers have lost all, but we’ll find a way to borrow money and rebuild.”
The Red River’s water reached a hazardous level, flooding landscaped gardens and devastating rows of potted plants, further complicating the lives of the affected farmers.
For Mr. Ly Van Quy, who has been growing bougainvillea, the flooding has resulted in total ruin. He shared, “We had nurtured these plants for two to three years, waiting to sell them,” estimating his losses at 400 million VND.
As he worked to clear his garden, he voiced concerns about the future. “While we can replant, it will take years before we see any return. The real issue is how we will manage financially during that time.”
The financial burden on Van Giang’s farmers is immense following the floods. Many are debating the prospect of loans for cleanup and rebuilding, but facing uncertainties about future weather adds to their challenges. Though these communities display resilience, they will need considerable assistance to recover from this calamity and maintain their long-standing tradition of ornamental plant farming.
The impact of Typhoon Yagi is evident in the ornamental plant areas along the dike in Xuan Quan and Phung Cong communes (Van Giang District, Hung Yen Province), with rising Red River levels leading to extensive flooding.
Numerous hectares of ornamental plants have succumbed after prolonged submersion.
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Van Giang stands as the most significant ornamental plant center in the North, with nearly 1,000 hectares dedicated to meeting seasonal demands such as during Tet. Reports indicate that approximately 70% of local households involved in this sector have faced severe impacts from the flooding.
Mr. Dinh Van Thach, who owns seven acres of land, primarily cultivates long-term ornamental plants for Tet, including kumquats and pomelos. He stated that a trader could pay about 10 million VND for a pomelo tree, but unfortunately, all his trees died after being waterlogged for several days.
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On September 21, Mr. Thach found that most of the kumquat trees had turned black and yellow, indicating their demise. He brought any trees that displayed some signs of life home to treat them with root stimulants.
He estimates that his losses from the kumquat garden alone stand at a minimum of 500 million VND. He plans to apply for bank loans after recovering from the destruction.
Ms. Thu’s garden also faced total loss from the flood. Although it was usually sheltered, the storm damaged the roofs, leading to the destruction of all her jewel plants.
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As of September 21, even though the area was still slightly flooded, she worked slowly to clean her garden, hoping to salvage any remaining potted plants. “It hurts to lose everything; however, I recognize that others have faced worse situations. Even though we’ve lost all, we can still find ways to borrow and rebuild,” she expressed.
Everywhere, damaged and dead plants were scattered as the Red River water levels reached a dangerous third level.
Finally, the long-term bougainvillea garden of Mr. Ly Van Quy suffered complete destruction due to the extended flooding. He reported that his plants, nurtured for two to three years before being ready for sale, resulted in a loss of approximately 400 million VND.
As Mr. Quy cut the dead plants in his garden, he noted, “Now, we have to acquire new plants and start growing them again, which could take years. The foremost concern is how we will manage our finances in the meantime.”
