9X engineer quitted job in Japan, returned to grow roses

Dao Xuan Anh used to work in Japan, but returned to Vietnam and built a high-tech rose growing model, earning hundreds of millions of dollars a month.

Young engineer Dao Xuan Anh in his family's rose garden.

Quit a stable job

We visited Mr. Dao Xuan Anh (30 years old, living in Quang Thanh ward, Gia Nghia city, Dak Nong) while he busily harvested roses with his mother and 2 workers to deliver to the focal points. His garden is almost 5,000m2 wide, with dozens of different types of roses.

“Previously, I graduated with a construction degree and then went to Japan to work as an engineer according to the profession I learned. However, living away from home, with no relatives nearby, the thought of setting up a career in the homeland is always smoldering in my mind. After working in Japan for a while, With my savings used as capital, I return to Vietnam to put my idea into reality. The first place to start a business is Lac Duong district, Lam Dong. This is the flower growing ‘capital’ of Lam Dong province, mainly roses and chrysanthemums", said Mr. Xuan Anh.

He grew roses in Lam Dong for three years, working and accumulating experience at the same time. At the end of 2019, he brought back the roses to plant in Gia Nghia. After demolishing more than 5 acres of unproductive coffee, the engineer built a greenhouse and installed a drip irrigation system to implement the idea.

According to the owner of the rose garden, growing roses in a greenhouse helps him control the weather and pests. The provision of water for irrigation and nutrition through the drip irrigation system will reduce costs and make the rose actively bloom. The most important thing is that the quality of floers, from color, size to durability, is not inferior to Da Lat flowers.

Not only does he grow traditional roses, but Mr. Xuan Anh also develops more foreign roses such as pink and red Ohara, Gulia, orange London, Juliet, red French... This method helps him approach a variety of customers, from the retail market to importing to wholesale markets.

Earning billions per year

After 4 years of growing roses, challenges and difficulties always accompany Mr. Xuan Anh's career path.

When he first started, since it was a specialized flower growing area of Lam Dong, the soil in Lac Duong had a lot of pathogens. At one point, the family had to cut off the entire flower garden because of a fungus. Then last year, the Covid-19 epidemic occurred, the roses could not be sold, so he had to cut down the whole garden.

At present, Mr. Dao Xuan Anh often cuts and sells roses in the garden for VND 800-1,000/flower, and the price of foreign varieties ranges from VND 3,000-5,000/flower. Especially, on holidays, foreign roses are sold for VND 9,000/flower. Each month, the rose garden earns over VND 70 million. Particularly in March and October, the revenue can reach nearly VND 500 million.

“During the recent International Women's Day on March 8th, my garden supplied about 5,000 flowers to the market every day. After cutting continuously for nearly a week, the numbers went up from 45,000 to 50,000 flowers, helping the family earn about VND 400 million", Mr. Xuan Anh shared.

According to Mr. Xuan Anh, the rose garden not only brings stable income for the family but also creates jobs for 2-3 local workers with a salary of VND 6.5-7 million/month. In the near future, the young engineer said that he will expand the area, plant more leaf-selling plants to serve flower arrangements.

“I plan to expand the area, thereby creating jobs for local workers. In addition, in order to be proactive in the source of seeds, I will also research and breed flower varieties to diversify flower sources", said Mr. Xuan Anh.