(HBO) – Everyone in Dong Bac commune knows Secretary of the local Party committee Bui Van Binh. Binh, born in 1962, is the first one who succeeded in growing dragon fruit in the commune.

Leaders of the Dong Bac People’s Committee visit Binh’s dragon
fruit farm.
Binh said his
family owns over 3,000 square metres of land. Earlier, his family grew rice,
but the water shortage forced them to switch to sugarcane and corn. However, the
cultivation brought unstable income.
In 2015, Binh
heard in the media about a farming model in Suoi Soi, Lac Thuy district
invested by Tran Hung from Hanoi. The model combined the cultivation of flower
and dragon fruit with tourism. He then came to the site to learn more about the
model and brought home dragon saplings in Lac Thuy.
"At first, I tested
cultivating both white- and red-flesh dragon fruits on 2,000 square metres. They
grew well and, in 2016, I planted 420 more saplings on more than 1,000 square
metres.”
Talking about
difficulties in their early days planting dragon fruit, Binh’s wife Bui Thi
Chau said: With support from relatives and friends, he built 420 concrete
columns along with an irrigation system using water from drilled well. Our
efforts have paid off, when the plants produced the first fruits in 2016. That
year we earned 30 million VND. In 2017, my family harvested about 4-5 tonnes of
fruit, gaining 70 million VND. This year is our third year of harvesting dragon
fruit, with the average selling price reaching 20-25,000 VND per kg and revenue
estimated at over VND100 million./.
Hoa Binh city is transitioning to modern and sustainable agriculture by leveraging its natural advantages to efficiently develop crop cultivation and animal husbandry. The city is applying scientific and technical advancements to farming, processing, and distribution while expanding export markets, significantly increasing production value and incomes for farmers.
Hoa Binh province’s economy posted an impressive Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth rate of 12.67% in the first quarter of 2025, representing a 12.76% year-on-year increase, the highest rate recorded since the beginning of the current tenure, according to the provincial Statistics Office. This robust growth reflects years of strategic groundwork and sets a strong foundation for the province’s annual growth target of over 10%.
With a focus on cash crop farming with science - technology application and brand building, Lac Thuy district is gradually increasing production value, improving people's life quality, and laying the foundation for sustainable socio-economic development.
In recent years, the economic development model "Hoa Binh Earthworm Farm” run by Mr. Bui Van Dang in Co Giua Hamlet, My Thanh Commune (Lac Son district) has not only brought stable economic value but it is also environmentally friendly, helping to protect and reduce pollution, contributing to the construction of a green and sustainable agriculture.
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.