(HBO) – Responding to the appeal of the Party, Nguyen Van Chien from Dan Phuong district, former Ha Tay province, and other 100 local young people moved to work in the Hoa Binh lake area in Voi hamlet, Thai Thinh commune, the northern province of Hoa Binh, in 1978. Three years later, he decided to make a living from scratch in the locality. After 40 years, he built a big stilt house surrounded by 10-ha pomelo orchard which earns him hundreds of millions of Vietnam dong a year. However, Chien’s biggest asset is his strong will and great endeavours to surmount any difficulties he met.
Nguyen Van Chien, Voi hamlet, Thai Thinh commune, Hoa Binh
city, stands in his pomelo orchard.
Though coming from the
majority Kinh ethnic group, Chien built a stilt house of the Muong ethnic
minority group. When I entered his house, Chien’s family just came back from a
visit to their garden where they dug bamboo shoots for sale. Chien said he
planted the bamboo trees since the early years when he came here with the
support of the State. He pockets tens of millions of
Vietnam dong annually from bamboo
shoots. Four members of his family harvested 2 million tonnes of bamboo shoots
from 6-10am today, earning more than 1 million VND.
After returning from
military service, Chien and his wife decided to settle in Voi hamlet. Then, the
road linking Hoa Binh city and Voi hamlet was a trail running along hills to
the lake. On the very first days, they built a tent by wood and bamboo, and
planted corn, cassava and bean. They worked all days and came home late at
night. The cultivation of corn and cassava required great efforts but it was
even harder to sell the products. He had to get up at 3m to carry about 7km of
corn and cassava to Hoa Binh town to sell. After coming back from the market,
he continued with the farming work. If there was no corn and cassava, Chien
collected firewood to bring to the market to trade for rice and food.
After failures in planting
apricot and plum, Chien decided to bring pomelo trees from his hometown to Voi
hamlet. It was said that the severe weather conditions and mountainous soil in
the locality could not support the growth of pomelo trees. After three years,
the pomelo trees bore good-quality fruits, which motivated him to expand the
cultivation.
Taking me to the
closely-fruited pomelo orchard, Chien said Dien pomelo trees require less care
and bear tasty fruits. Traders commented that my pomelo fruits are better than
those planted in other areas. Chien said he now owns nearly
10 ha of pomelo trees. Last
year, the orchard gave a yield of more than 20,000 pomelo fruits. Apart from
the fruit, Chien also planted persimmon, guava and custard apple. Last year, he
constructed a concrete road leading to the garden.
Chien’s son, Nguyen Van
Huu, told me before saying goodbye that strong will and diligence is the asset
they have inherited from his parents./.
Viet Lam
After more than four years of implementing a project launched by the Hoa Binh Party Committee’s Standing Board on developing agriculture and promoting product consumption linked with building new-style rural areas for the 2021-2025 period, the province’s industry and trade sector has made significant strides, greatly contributing to local socio-economic development.
Luong Son district has identified 2025 as the year for the accelerated breakthrough to successfully implement the socio-economic development plan for the 5-year period from 2021 to 2025. The district has been focusing on executing the plans and trying to achieve a GRDP growth rate of approximately 15%.
Since the beginning of this year, under the direction of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Sub-Department of Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery Product Quality Management has strengthened the integration of the professional activities to promote and guide the organizations and individuals in the production and trading of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to comply with the legal regulations regarding the use of chemicals, pesticides and veterinary medicines in crop cultivation, livestock farming and aquaculture. They also provide guidance to processing and manufacturing establishments on keeping the records to trace the product origins and using food additives from the approved list according to the regulations.
Hoa Binh province saw a significant rise in state budget revenue in the first two months of 2025, heard a meeting chaired by Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Quach Tat Liem.
Ha Thi Ha Chi, a 26-year-old graduate in law, has taken an unconventional path by returning to her hometown in Mai Chau district to establish the Tong Dau Cooperative, creating stable jobs for local women and bringing Thai ethnic brocade weaving to the global market.
As the Lunar New Year 2025 approached, pork prices surged, creating a profitable season for farmers in Tan Vinh commune, Luong Son district. Taking advantage of the rising demand, Can Minh Son, a farmer from Coi hamlet, sold over 30 pigs at 69,000 VND/kg, each weighing more than 100 kg. After deducting expenses, his family earned a profit of over 50 million VND.
