(HBO) – The Business Association of Hoa Binh Veterans (BAHV), founded in September 2017, has become a venue for war veterans to gather for a new front – the front of poverty reduction and contribution to the province’s development.
The
cage fish farming following VietGAP standards of veteran Pham Van Thuat has
attracted a number of BAHV members coming to learn from his experience.
Pham Van Thuat is an outstanding BAHV member in economic
development when he has adopted cage fish raising technique following VietGAP
standards. In 2014, basing on the provincial Party Committee’s Resolution 12 on
development of cage fish farming in the Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir, he
discussed the aquaculture with his family. At first, his company invested in
more than 20 cages in Voi hamlet of Thai Thinh commune. After two years, it has
developed three cage fish farming establishments with 250 cages in Hoa Binh
city and Da Bac and Mai Chau districts.
Thuat said cage fish farming is not simple, especially for
inexperienced persons. With the determination to build a quality and
prestigious brand for Da River fish, the company hired experts and agricultural
engineers to give guidance and transfer techniques. Its staff has also made
efforts to practice the farming following VietGAP standards.
Cage fish farming is difficult, but how the products enter the
market is also not easy. Therefore, Thuat has actively sought market,
introduced his products, and pledged clean fish supply for consumers. His fish
products such as lang (hemibagrus), dieu hong (Oreochromis
sp), ro (anabas), nganh (Cranoglanis
sinensis), and tram (Ctenopharyngodon
idella) have been sold in major markets like Hanoi, Hai Phong city
and Ho Chi Minh City and big supermarket chains like Big C. The company
produces 4 – 5 tonnes of fish per year, gaining 3 billion – 4 billion VND
(131,700 – 175,600 USD) in revenue.
Pham Van Thuat is only one of the many BAHV members who are always
dynamic and creative in seeking new directions for their business. Despite
difficulties, they have made efforts to legitimately enrich their families and
contribute to the society.
Among them, Nguyen Thanh Giam is a distributor of many high-end
tile and toilet accessories brands in Hoa Binh and Son La province. Meanwhile,
Thanh Bien is the owner of a chain of telecom services, entertainment centres,
and the Sao Mai education centre.
There are 240 BAHV members across Hoa Binh at present, including
50 business owners, five owners of cooperatives, 40 others with service
businesses, and over 100 doing farm-based economic activities.
Aside from supporting one another in economic development, the
BAHV members have also offered mutual assistance in daily lives. In the first
two months of operation, the association spent 40 million VND (over 1,700 USD)
on supporting four members affected by natural disasters.
With its meaningful activities, the BAHV continues to attract a
number of new members. The provincial association decided to set up 11 chapters
at the district level, and three of them have been put into operation,
contributing to promoting connection for economic development and poverty
reduction and ensuring social welfare./.
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.
