Watermelon carving service attracts many customers in the run-up to the lunar new year.

On the days before Tet, craftsmen have to work late into the night due to demand.

Most of the craftsmen are carpenters who take advantage of Tet to earn money. Pham Tuan, a watermelon craftsman, said that every year, he and his friends come to HCM City to offer the watermelon carving service. The price is around VND60-70,000 (USD2.7-3) per kilo, depending on the sophistication. A 2-kilo watermelon is priced at around VND100,000 after being craved.

Watermelon originated from the southern province of Tien Giang’s Go Cong District is often used for being carved for its round shape and quality. Each craftsman can sell 400-500 carved watermelons.

Nguyen Van Trong from Ninh Binh Province said that the decoration for watermelon is divided into three stages requires sophisticated skills.

It takes craftsmen 20 minutes to one hour to carve a watermelon. After being carved, watermelons can be displayed for up to 15 days