(HBO) - Hung Thi is one of the six difficult communes of Lac Thuy district, 90% of its population are Muong ethnic minority people. Their lives are still very difficult, and the economy is mainly dependent on forestation and livestock. Recognizing the economic benefits of lemongrass and its stable market consumption, the Committee and authorities of Hung Thi commune propagated and mobilized the local people to put lemongrass plants into growing on the land area of riverbank and hills. This makes the life of the farmers become quite well.

Lemongrass brings the income to the local
people of Tram village, Hung Thi commune
Talking to Mr. Pham Van Toan, the Head of
Tram village, we learn that: Up to now, the whole commune of Hung Thi has over
100 hectares of planting short hybrid lemongrass. This kind of plant is easy to
grow, easy to care, with nearly no disease; it can give high yield with the
time from planting to harvest of only 4.5 - 5 months. Two months later, another
crop can be collected. The harvesting period of lemongrass to be replanted is
after 3 years. On average, 1 hectare of lemongrass will be harvested for 5-7
crops, after deducting all the expenses, the farmers can earn the profit from
100-140 million VND / hectare.
For the people of Tram village, the village
9, the hamlet 8 and Mang village, at present, some house have about from some
perches to 1 hectare planting lemongrass, some other houses have up to 5 - 7
hectares. All products were collected by Mr. Pham Van Toan, the Head of Tram
village with prices ranging from 6,000 to 6,500 VND / kg, then they will be
sold to major wholesale markets in Hanoi and Vinh Phuc. According to Toan's
share, on average, he buys more than 2 tons of lemongrass roots every day. For
the months prior to Tet holiday, there are some days he collected dozens of
tons of lemongrass, but that amount didn’t meet the need of the market. In
addition to growing lemongrass in river banks, replacing the field bottom
planting vegetables before, lemongrass is also planted at the edge of the roads
or hill areas; it can be planted scattered in the fruit trees to help limit
weeds and increase the income for the local people.
Once a mountainous province facing many challenges, Hoa Binh has, after more than a decade of implementing the national target programme on new-style rural area development, emerged as a bright spot in Vietnam’s northern midland and mountainous region. In the first quarter of 2025, the province recorded positive results, paving the way for Hoa Binh to enter a phase of accelerated growth with a proactive and confident mindset.
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The steering committee for key projects of Hoa Binh province convened on May 14 to assess the progress of major ongoing developments
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Hoa Binh province joined Vietnam’s national "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme in 2019, not simply as a mountainous region following central policy, but with a clear vision to revive the cultural and agricultural values in its villages and crops.
From just 16 certified products in its inaugural year to 158 by early 2025, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme in Hoa Binh province has followed a steady and strategic path. But beyond the numbers, it has reawakened local heritage, turning oranges, bamboo shoots, brocade, and herbal remedies into branded, market-ready goods - and, more profoundly, transformed how local communities value and present their own cultural identity.