(HBO) – Farmers in Kim Boi district in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh have entered the peak cucumber harvesting season, with bumper harvests and high prices.
Cucumbers are sold along roadside in Vinh Dong commune, Kim Boi district.
Realising the economic value of cucumbers which is much higher than those of other crops and vegetables, many local farmers have shifted to grow the fruit. Currently it is sold from 10,000 VND -15,000 VND (0.43 – 0.64 USD) per kg.
Kim Boi’s cucumber has been favoured by local consumers as well as those in the vicinity thanks to its aroma, unique sweetness and quality.
Nguyen Thi Minh Anh, deputy head of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Kim Boi district, said the fruit is a local traditional plant, and it’s favoured by many consumers. Over the recent years, district authorities have encouraged farmers to switch their ineffective farming land to growing cucumber.
In order to ensure quality of the product, they have cooperated with sectors and units to organise training courses and transfer science and technology to farmers to establish production models in the direction of organic and safe farming.
It has also coordinated with the provincial sub-department for quality management of agro-forestry-fisheries to advise and certify VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and organic standards for production households. At the same time, the district has guided farmers to optimise the benefits of technology, social network platforms such as zalo and facebook to boost consumption.
Currently, the district’s total area under cucumber is about 232 hectares, mainly in the communes of Vinh Dong, Du Sang, Sao Bay, Nam Thuong, and Kim Lap. At present, more than 40% of the area under cucumber in the district has been harvested. The district's total cucumber output will reach about 4,500 tonnes by the end of the season./.
Over recent years, the Farmers' Union of Mai Chau district has implemented numerous specific programmes and activities to support its members in developing products under the One Commune One (OCOP) programme. These efforts have contributed to enhancing local agricultural branding, increasing goods value, and improving incomes and living standards for residents.
Since 2022, the Hoa Binh Department of Education and Training has provided advice for the provincial People's Committee to issue Plan No. 219/KH-UBND on November 17, 2022, which outlines the implementation of a project titled "Enhancing the application of Information Technology (IT) and Digital Transformation in Education and Training for the 2022–2025 period, with a vision to 2030.” As of now, the local education sector has made significant progress in IT adoption and digital transformation.
Hoa Binh allocated over 30 trillion VND (nearly 1.18 billion USD) to develop infrastructure systems in ethnic minority and mountainous areas during 2019 - 2024. Priority was given to transport and irrigation infrastructure; markets; schools; medical stations; communal houses; and power grid, telecommunication, radio, and television systems.
The Hoa Binh provincial organising committee for anniversary activities on December 17 held a ceremony to unveil a ceramic mural on the local military-civilian ties and release a book on the Party and political work of the provincial armed forces during 1947 – 2024, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival.
In recent years, Hoa Binh has allocated significant resources to foster cooperative economy, helping ethnic minorities capitalise on their potential and advantages to escape poverty.
As a mountainous district still facing numerous challenges, Da Bac has made notable progress in advancing administrative reforms across various areas. The district has prioritised reorganising and streamlining its administrative apparatus, operating "one-stop-shop” units, and applying information technology (IT) in the handling of administrative procedures. Efforts have also been directed toward upgrading infrastructure and equipment to enhance service quality for residents and businesses.
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