Chuyện nghề: Hái dừa…chuyện nghề, chuyện đời

Career story: Coconut picking... career story, life story

Index

    Picking coconuts requires workers to be physically fit, not afraid of heights and agile.

    The simple tools are a knife, a coil of boiled rope and a sledge. Depending on experience, coconut pickers say that when picking coconuts, they often use a sledge made of a belt, parachute cord, sometimes a sledge made of beaten banana rope, which is flexible and sturdy when rubbed against the coconut trunk. Sometimes, even a sledge is not needed for those with many years of experience. 

    Coconut pickers come to this profession naturally, the experience of those who have gone before is passed on to those who have come after. The key for a professional coconut picker is to know his or her limits, be agile and passionate about the job.

    Coconut picking - a job that is not age-specific, seasonal and is the life of many generations.

    This job sells labor, so you only need to be diligent. Each day, depending on your skills, you can climb and pick 20-30 coconut trees. Fresh coconuts are bought at 6,500 VND/fruit in the garden and sold at water shops for 8,500-9,000 VND/fruit. Dried coconuts are bought at 7,500 VND/fruit and sold for 10,000-12,000 VND/fruit (prices are updated at different times and in different locations).

    For fresh coconuts, workers must use a long rope to gently move the bunch of coconuts so they don't break. On average, they earn about 400,000 - 800,000 VND per day (prices are updated at different times and in different locations) . They harvest twice a year, from one garden to another. This job requires labor and profits.

    In the past, life was difficult, the whole village had a few dozen people doing this job, "father to son" - successive generations to make a living. This job can be done by anyone, from 14-15 years old to over 50 years old, however, nowadays few young people follow this job because of the difficulty and danger.

    Coconut picking – a life with many dangers.

    Photo: Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper

    Coconut Picking Danger Lurks

    To make a living, coconut climbers, both men and women, must accept danger. Some people even say: "Those who enter the profession must go through accidents to become mature."

    Only through the experience of the craftsmen who pass it on to the next generation, everyone has more or less scars. It is common for wasps, wasps, ants, and snakes to bite and cause swelling for several days. When falling into these situations, the craftsman must be calm, endure, find a way to handle it, and not panic and let go - life is in danger.

    When it comes to coconut picking, few people can imagine the hardships, because everyone thinks that coconut pickers earn money without having to spend any capital. Moreover, climbing trees without any form of protection is very dangerous.

    The tall coconut trees are always lurking in danger.

    Photo: Junjun Villapando – Pixabay

    Nowadays, coconut harvesting has been supported by more modern tools, low-growing coconut varieties are easy to harvest, but still require a large level of investment and need more conversion time.

    Knowing that the job is hard and dangerous, but must accept, because there is no stable job and for the sake of life, for the future and prosperity of the family.