(HBO) – A citrus fruit festival and agricultural fair took place in mid-December in the northern province of Hoa Binh as part of the activities to promote local citrus fruits.
In recent
years, the area of citrus fruits in the province has increased to 9,700
hectares in 2018 from 1,976 hectares in 2013, yielding 123,000 tonnes.
The fruits are mainly grown in nine out of the
11 districts and city, including oranges in Cao Phong, Lac Thuy, Kim Boi and
Lac Son districts, and grapefruits in Tan Lac and Yen Thuy districts. In Cao
Phong alone, the area of citrus fruits covers over 3,000 hectares, including
1,300 ha ready for harvest with an estimated output of 36,000 tonnes, up 3,000
tonnes against 2017. Lac Thuy district has 1,045 hectares of these fruits,
including 400 hectares ready for harvest, yielding over 8,000 tonnes.
Cao Phong
oranges promoted at the citrus fruit festival and agricultural fair win trust
of customers thanks to its clear label of origin.
To protect the brand of citrus fruits, the local
agriculture and rural development sector has applied a number of measures in
recent years, including the control of the quality of varieties. Unscheduled and
periodical inspections are carried out annually to prevent low-quality
agricultural supplies, especially fake fertiliser and unsafe seedlings from
entering the local market.
The provincial plantation and plant protection division
said it has conducted inspections over 500 establishments trading agricultural
supplies on the use of pesticides, production procedures, and breeding sales.
They found no violation.
Since 2015, the province has successfully built
geographical indicators for Cao Phong, Lac Thuy orange and Tan Lac red-flesh
grapefruit. To protect the brand of the fruits, local gardeners have applied
science technology into production, meeting requirements on fruit hygiene and
safety. In Cao Phong district, about 800 hectares of oranges were certified
with Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP), labelled with trace of
origin and packaged to prevent counterfeit products. Meanwhile, in Tan Lac
district, some 52 hectares of red-flesh grapefruits received VietGAP
certification./.
Maximizing local potential and advantages, Yen Tri commune in Yen Thuy district is actively promoting the cultivation of medicinal herbs and turning medicinal herbs into One Commune - One Product (OCOP) products.
Situated at the gateway to the Northwest, Hoa Binh province has a population of over 900,000, including about 540,000 of working age. It is home to 6,000 businesses and production facilities, providing employment for over 100,000 workers. The remaining workforce is engaged in informal jobs, works in enterprises outside the province, or contributes to agro-forestry-fisheries. Additionally, around 3,000 workers are employed abroad.
The Hoa Binh provincial People's Committee has issued Decision No. 2767/QD-UBND announcing the rankings of departments, agencies, districts and Hoa Binh city in the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) in 2024.
The cultivation of Dam Xanh fish (Bangana lemassoni), a unique fish species, has seen remarkable growth in Mai Chau district, thanks to its high economic value and effectiveness. Initially concentrated in Van Mai commune, farming has now extended to four other communes, namely Mai Hich, Mai Ha, Chieng Chau, and Son Thuy. These areas benefit from pristine underground water flowing from mountain crevices, providing ideal conditions for raising this specialty fish.
In 2024, the total state budget revenue of Hoa Binh Province is estimated at approximately VND 6,930 billion, achieving 183% of the Government’s target, 126% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Council, and 145% compared to the same period last year.
In 2024, Hoa Binh province has shown signs of improvement in attracting investment and developing enterprises.