(HBO) – Hoa Binh reservoir has a total water surface area of 16,800 ha spanning the northern mountainous provinces of Hoa Binh and Son La, of which 8,892 ha belong to Hoa Binh. The vast, clean and nutritious reservoir is favourable for caged fish farming, with many rare and high-value varieties.

Residents in Hien Luong commune,
Da Bac district, have invested in caged fish farming, which brings in high
economic value.
Among the
five rivers running through Hoa Binh province, the Da River is the longest with
151km. The Hoa Binh reservoir has a total water surface area of 16,800 ha, with
8,892ha in 19 communes of Hoa Binh province.
Surrounded
by hills and mountains, the deep reservoir is rich in aquatic resources. Apart
from ephemera, there are thousands of vegetation covers, along with protective
forests that provide organic elements for the lake.
Besides,
Hoa Binh province is home to hundreds of irrigation reservoirs favourable for caged
fishing farming, along with rivers and lakes with a total area of 14,560ha.
In fact,
caged fish breeding began in Hoa Binh a long time ago but it saw a boom in the
1990s when the water level of the Hoa Binh reservoir got stable. According to
statistics, before 2013, the province had about 1,250 fish cages. Between 2013
and now, the number has increased continuously. At the end of 2017, the number
of fish cages stood at 4,050, equivalent to 220,000 sq.m, with an accumulated
output of 7,700 tonnes of fish, generating jobs for over 5,000 labourers.
Not only
households residing around the reservoir but many individuals and organizations
both in and outside the province have participated in fish farming. Up to 35
businesses, cooperatives and farm owners in the province have invested in caged
fish breeding in the reservoir. Many firms have expanded their investment such
as Da River Clean Fish JSC which has provided 35 tonnes of fish for the Hanoi
market monthly, Hai Dang Seafood JSC with 30-40 tonnes, and Viet Duc Seafood
Co., Ltd which has injected over 70 billion VND in raising sturgeon in cages.
These
firms said that they have earned profits from breeding fish in cages in the
reservoir, saying they get about 30-40 percent of profits earned from each
cage. Therefore, many businesses have expanded their production.
By the
end of 2017, the province’s aquaculture area was 2,680 ha with 4,000 fish cages,
providing about 7,200 tonnes of fish. According to the centre of plant, animal
and seafood varieties, localities aim to turn fish cages into centralized fish
farms with large scale and high economic value, thus creating a new momentum in
the province’s aquaculture development strategy.
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.