(HBO) – The family of Pham Van Vuong in Khoang hamlet of Son Thuy commune, Hoa Binh province’s Kim Boi district, has been one of the households earning high income from farming longan trees over the last years.
Vuong’s wife, Dao,
said they gained a bumper longan crop with good prices this year. Longan was
sold at over 30,000 VND per kg at the beginning of the harvest season and about
20,000 VND per kg at the end of the season. Profits from longan cultivation are
comparable to orange and grapefruit farming if farmers make appropriate
investment and have good farming techniques.
Pham Van Vuong in Khoang hamlet of Son Thuy commune
(Kim Boi district) earned about 500 million VND (22,000 USD) from this year’s
longan crop.
A cash crop production area has been formed in
Son Thuy commune, and Son Thuy longan is generating an opportunity for many
local families to get rid of poverty and get rich. Dao recounted that 20 years
ago, like many other households in Khoang hamlet, her family faced an array of
difficulties as the farmland area was small and rice farming provided just
enough rice for family consumption. Local people tried to farm different plant
varieties but failed due to unstable sale and prices.
As relatives of her husband were living in Hung
Yen province, known as a longan farming hub, Dao and several households decided
to pilot the planting of longan trees. At first, her family just cultivated
some longan varieties, and they realised that the Huong Chi variety suits the
climate and soil conditions in Son Thuy commune. The family reclaimed their
farmland and used part of the rice farming area to grow longan trees.
They and many other households have also
actively acquired knowledge of farming techniques to raise longan output. Dao’s
family now owns 1ha of longan with 230 trees, which generated the highest ever
productivity this year (25-30 tonnes), earning them 500 million VND.
Son Thuy farmers used to plant various plants,
from watermelon, bamboo to pumpkin, but longan has proved to be most
profitable. Traders from Vinh Phuc province,
Hanoi, Hai Phong city and Nghe An province
have come here to purchase Son Thuy longans, which have thin skin, thick flesh
and soft sweetness. Income from longan cultivation averages 200-300 million VND
(8,800 – 13,200 USD) per ha and can reach 400-500 million VND (17,600 – 22,000
USD) per ha if good farming techniques are used.
Dao added that Khoang hamlet is home to the
largest longan area in Son Thuy commune, about 45ha, most of which has borne
fruit. Many households such as the families of Bui Van Men, Bui Van Luc and Bui
Van Linh have become rich thanks to farming longan. Up to 58 of the 110ha of
longan trees in the commune have borne fruit, generating 700 tonnes worth some
14 billion VND (nearly 616.300 USD). Since Son Thuy longan was recognized as a
collective brand, local farmers have complied with the safe production process
so as to ensure the sustainability of the brand./.
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.
