Beyond its reputation as the river of light, the Da river has emerged as a vibrant area for fish and shrimp production. Local authorities and residents are aspiring to build a robust fishery industry, and their hope can be seen in the organisation of the second Da river fish and shrimp festival.
Releasing fish fingerlings to restore aquatic resources in Hoa Binh Lake.
The festival, taking place in Hoa Binh province
from November 19 - 23, aimed at showcasing local distinctive agricultural
products and spotlighting the locality’s potential, strengths, landscapes and
cultural traits, thus stimulating tourism development and attracting visitors
from far and wide.
It featured various activities, including a fish
worship and lantern floating ceremony on the Da river, an agricultural
promotion forum, and a sport fishing tournament.
The
splendour of Da River at the lantern floating ceremony
The fish worship and lantern floating ceremony
were held on on November 15 to honour the spiritual and cultural values, pray
for national prosperity, favourable weather conditions and bumper crops, and
pay tribute to the people with significant contributions to the fisheries
sector.
Box: Nguyen Thi Thanh from Hanoi said the
ceremony was a humanistic endeavour continuing the preservation and promotion
of the nation’s diverse cultural traits.
Raising awareness of
agritourism
The agricultural promotion forum was arranged
ahead of the second Da river fish and shrimp festival to raise public awareness
of sustainable agricultural development in tandem with ecotourism.
At the event, insiders shared experience and
measures to promote agritourism, green growth and sustainable development,
helping Hoa Binh get a better insight into critical tasks that need to be
completed to develop its rural economy.
Fascinating
experience at festival’s opening ceremony
The opening of the second Da river fish and
shrimp festival on November 9 drew the participation of leaders from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hoa Binh province, and thousands
of residents from both within and outside the province.
Along with enjoying a vibrant cultural
programme, visitors to the event were treated to an exciting auction of the
"river monsters” of the Da river and an array of delicious dishes made from
fish and shrimp caught in the river. The offerings were on display at the
booths of Cuong Thinh Fish, Hai Dang Goup and Da Giang Eco Cooperative.
"The second Da river fish and shrimp festival is
organised to promote the development of the local aquatic production and
solidify the two trademarks of "Hoa Binh Da River shrimp” and "Hoa Binh Da
River fish”, thus building the industry into an economic spearhead of the
province,” Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dinh Cong Su
said.
The highlight of the opening night for
spectators was undoubtedly the auction of massive fish from the Da river
reservoir. In a thrilling bidding process, a 45-kilogram sturgeon from Hai Dang
Seafood Company was sold for 150 million VND (over 5,900 USD), much higher than
its initial starting price of 20 million VND. Meanwhile, a 30-kilogram black
carp from Cuong Thinh seafood and service company was successfully auctioned at
105 million VND, as compared to the starting price of 20 million VND.
Representatives from the companies said all of
the proceeds from the auctions will be used to buy fries which will be released
into the Hoa Binh reservoir to replenish aquatic resources.
Expressing his delight on the successful bidding
of the massive sturgeon, Nguyen Dinh Hieu from the fishing club of Bao Tin Minh
Chau Company Limited said: "I am honoured to represent the company to engage in
such a meaningful activity. I would like to thank the local leaders for
providing tourists an opportunity to enjoy a fascinating festival as well as
discover local culture, land, and people.
Realising
the dream to develop reservoir fisheries sector
With a view to capitalising on the advantages of
the Hoa Binh reservoir, the fourth largest man-made one in the country, the
standing board of the provincial Party Committee issued a resolution on developing
cage fish farming in the area for 2014-2020. In 2015, the provincial People’s
Committee issued a decision on implementing the resolution with various
policies to support and encourage the farming.
To date, the reservoir houses around 5,000 fish
cages, nearly triple the figure in 2015. Thirty-five enterprises, cooperatives,
and households have invested in large-scale intensive farming, with two
businesses operating over 200 cages using advanced technologies.
The second Da river fish and shrimp festival has
left lasting impression on local residents as well as both domestic and foreign
visitors. With the locals’ expectation for the upcoming festival as well as the
local leaders’ sound decisions, there is optimism that the dream of developing
the reservoir fisheries sector into an economic spearhead will gradually come
true.
Dao Village’s honey – a product certified with a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating by Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative in Dao Village (Hoa Binh City) – is highly regarded by consumers for its quality, richness, and variety in packaging. The distinctively sweet taste of Dao Village’s honey leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
In alignment with Project No. 07-DA/TU, issued by the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee on November 1, 2021, Lac Thuy district has actively promoted investment and supported the sustainable development of its industrial and handicraft sectors during the 2021–2025 period. Alongside this, the district has remained committed to preserving and revitalising traditional craft villages.
Located in the northern part of Lac Thuy district, with a temperate climate and fertile soil, Phu Thanh commune has great potential and advantages in growing tea. The long-standing experience, combined with strict adherence to organic farming practices in the tea gardens, ensures that the dried tea products from Phu Thanh and Lac Thuy as a whole are sold out immediately upon production, providing a stable and prosperous life for the local people.
Amid efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus, Hoa Binh province has intensified measures to address challenges in land clearance, resettlement support, and infrastructure investment, aiming to speed up the progress of key projects.
Hoa Binh province has posted an unprecedented economic growth rate of 12.76% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its highest quarterly performance to date and positioning it as the second fastest-growing locality in the country, trailing only Bac Giang province.
Under current regulations, products in the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme that are rated three stars or higher must undergo re-evaluation every three months. However, in reality, some of these products fail to consistently meet the required standards, raising concerns about the sustainability of their OCOP certification. This underscores the urgent need for producers to enhance product quality and gradually develop their OCOP products into strong, marketable brands.
