(HBO) – Local residents in Doan Ket hamlet (Lam Son commune, Luong Son district, Hoa Binh province) are excited to know that their commune has been recognised as a craft village of "go lua” (a kind of wood which is taken from the firmest core at the root of dead ancient trees) and "da canh” (ornamental stones).
Doan Ket hamlet is now home to 53 wood and stone crafting households. Their incomes are more stable than the nearly 100 other families who mainly earn their living by farming. According to locals, the trades were formed in the early 1990s, and at the starting point only 5-6 households pursued them. Now they have been developing strongly with key products such as ornamental stones, bonsais, timber statues, decorations, and furniture. At present, the commune has six artisans and 60 skilled technicians. Additionally, there are more than 300 manufacturers who create high-quality products to serve the market’s demand. The per capita average monthly income is estimated at 7 million VND – higher than that of workers in Lam Son commune (about 26 million VND per person per year in late 2016).
Thanks to the skillful hands and creative minds, people in Doan Ket hamlet, Lam Son commune, Luong Son district, have created artworks made from natural stones, which are popular in the market.
To be recognised as a craft village, people in Doan Ket hamlet had exerted every effort to achieve this title and satisfy some criteria such as 34 percent of the total households in the hamlet engage in the trades; incomes from the trades account for 78.9 percent and 74.4 percent respectively of the hamlet’s total incomes; occupational activities are carried out in accordance with legal regulations.
Apart from being recognised as a craft village, the Doan Ket hamlet has also benefited from support policies to develop craft villages according to Decision 12/2015/QD-UBND issued on April 27, 2015 by the provincial People’s Committee. Doan Ket is the latest hamlet to receive the recognition. So far, the province has two craft villages and four traditional ones. Some industries and manufacturing facilities have been defined as nucleus to expand and develop craft villages and traditional ones in the coming years. Notable activities are brocade weaving in Mai Chau and Tan Lac, wine producing in Hoa Binh city and Lac Son district, bamboo and rattan manufacturing in Go Me hamlet, and the making of ornamental stones in Lac Thuy district.
Generally, the manufacturing facilities and craft villages are developing in both quantity and quality with diverse products to better serve the market’s demand. The craft villages are gradually shifting from traditional small scale to the model with high connectivity and higher added values.
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.
