The tea processing facility of Ha Van
In 1999-2006, to serve the
local economic development, the provincial administration granted Bua hamlet with
investment to grow nearly 20ha of Shan Tuyet tea with a density of 4,000 trees
per hectare. The pioneers at that time were Vu Thi Thoa, Ha Van Phoi, Luong Van
Dan and Ha Van Thoan.
During 2006-2009, the tea
growing area of the commune was expanded to 40ha with a density of 6,000 trees
per hectare in other hamlets. The commune has a long standing tradition of
growing tea so local farmers were not unfamiliar with this variety. Since 2010,
total tea area of the commune has been expanded to 60ha with a density of
12,000 trees per hectare. Of the number, 22ha were planted with new trees.
Currently, over 70 percent
of families in Bua hamlet grow Shan Tuyet tea. The largest tea growing area of
a household is 1.2ha while the smallest is 2,000 sq.m. Luong Van Toan, head of
Bua hamlet said: "The hamlet has an advantage of being near the tea processing
facility in Quyet Tien hamlet of Yen Hoa commune (Da Bac district), so distribution
units have set up on-site buying point. Local people pick the young tea leaves
and bring them there. Tea output of the hamlet hit about 300kg per day and is
sold at 600,000 VND per 100kg. Thanks for stable market, average per capita
income of the hamlet increased to 12.5 million VND per year.”
Luong Van Xien, Chairman
of the People’s Committee of Trung Thanh commune said: "Since the Shan Tuyet
tea was grown in Bua hamlet, local people’s lives have greatly improved. The
climate and soil of Trung Thanh commune are suitable with the trees. In Bua
hamlet alone, local people grow 20ha of new tea trees and maintain 17ha of
existing trees, raising the total tea area of the hamlet to 37ha. Besides, the Thuong
hamlet has 28ha under trees, Bay hamlet 5ha, while Tam and Ha hamlets each have
over 2ha”. Because Shan Tuyet tea brings in better and stable income than
traditional plants, as well as has less risk, many households have replaced
vegetables and flowers with the tea tree, such as the families of Ha Van Pom
and Luong Van Thien in Thuong hamlet.
To ensure the sale of tea
for local people, local authorities have set up links with Phuong Huyen tree saplings
production and trading company, which assumes the responsibility for buying all
tea output of Trung Thanh commune. With trusted outlet and high quality tea
that meets market’s demand, the tree has become the commune’s major plant and
helped local people escape poverty.
The commune plans to cultivate
another 4.1ha of tea in Bay and Bua hamlets in 46 poor and nearly poor
households in October 2017. This year, total tea output of the commune is
estimated at 225 tonnes, up 30 tonnes compared to that of 2015. As a result,
average per capita income of local people sharply increased, from 8.5 million
VND in 2010 to 14.3 million VND./.
Hoa Binh Province currently has over 870 hectares of tea plantations, with six districts having concentrated tea production areas that boast advantages in soil, climate, history, and distinctive tea varieties: Yen Thuy, Lac Thuy, Da Bac, Mai Chau, Tan Lac, and Luong Son.