Replacing less productive crops with herbal medicines has proven to be an effective direction for many localities in Hoa Binh province.
In 2018, the Big Farm herbal cooperative leased 10 ha of mixed garden land from farmers in Men village, Yen Hoa commune (Da Bac district) to start growing several types of herbal plants.
Yen Tri commune in Yen Thuy district is one of the "bright spots" in herbal medicine development. Chairman of the communal People’s Committee Bui Phi Diep said that when embarking on the new-style rural area building scheme, the first challenge for the local authorities was how to increase the income for local residents. He added that the orientation of switching to herbal medicine cultivation on areas of less productive crops and mixed gardens aimed for this goal.
To achieve the highest effectiveness, the local authority selected high-value herbal plants and precious indigenous medicinal plants, and encourages residents to cultivate these as replacements. At the same time, it has proposed the district collaborate with herbal medicine centres and pharmaceutical companies to develop a production linkage model.
Cultivating medicinal plants generates economic value approximately three times higher than rice cultivation, helping to improve the incomes of many households in Yen Tri. The area dedicated to herbal plant cultivation in the commune has expanded to about 35 ha, attracting 45 households in the Yen Tri Agricultural Cooperative, and 100 other households to join.
Besides Yen Tri, the cultivation and development of medicinal plants have been implemented in many localities. So far, Hoa Binh has approximately 2,350 ha of medicinal plants, including 197.6 ha where the plants are intercropped on forest land.
Some of the main medicinal plants including lemongrass, solanum procumbens, and celastrus hindsii, with yearly average outputs of 11,000 tonnes, 1,200 tonnes and 1,620 tonnes, respectively. Additionally, there are various naturally harvested medicinal plants, such as cordyceps, passionflower, Paris polyphylla smith, and anoectochilus.
In recent years, the provincial authorities have issued many mechanisms and policies to encourage investment in planting and processing of medicinal plants. Projects and socio-economic development programmes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and the "One Commune, One Product" programme have helped promote and encourage economic sectors to invest in the cultivation and and processing of medicinal plants.
Currently, the province has 13 facilities and enterprises engaged in the purchasing and preliminary processing of medicinal plants, along with 10 small-scale processing establishments run by enterprises and households. These efforts have initially created stable outlets for medicinal plants in the province.
According to the leadership of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the coming time, based on natural conditions, market demand, economic value, and export potential, the locality will develop a list of prioritised medicinal plants for development. Additionally, it will establish mechanisms, policies, and support plans for the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants in special-use forests, protective forests, and production forests; as well as renting land for medicinal plant development; in line with forest management regulations and the provisions of the Land Law in 2024.
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.
