Mai Chau district eyes turning Van Mai dam xanh fish into an OCOP product

11/17/2024 - 6:08:56 PM

The Van Mai dam xanh (Bangana lemassoni) fish has long been famous for its unique and delicious flavour, earning a spot on the menus of many restaurants and attracting food connoisseurs. In recent years, residents in Van Mai commune, Mai Chau district, have expanded their fish farming areas and striven to build a strong reputation for their product. They are also working to establish it as an OCOP (One Commune, One Product) item to increase their income.

Dam xanh fish farming model of Kha Van Nhi (left), a resident of Nghe village, Van Mai commune (Mai Chau) brings about high economic efficiency.

Kha Van Nhi, a resident of Nghe village, who owns a 700-sq.m fish pond said that his family has been raising dam xanh fish for nearly 15 years. This species adapts quickly to the local environment, and grow well with minimal losses.

With his extensive experience in fish farming, along with regular care and monitoring, the fish in his pond have grown healthily, ensuring good sales. Each dam xanhcrop takes about three years to mature, with individual fish weighing between 1.5 and 2 kilograms. At a price of 230,000-250,000 VND (around 9-9.8 USD) per kilogram of the fish, his family earns an annual income of 80-100 million VND.

The natural environment in Van Mai commune, with its network of rivers and streams, steady water flow, and cool, clear waters, provides ideal conditions for dam xanh fish. This species is disease-resistant and resilient to harsh weather, especially the cold mountain climate of Mai Chau, making it suitable for wider cultivation. As a result, nearby communes like Mai Hich and Mai Ha, with similar natural conditions, have also adopted this fish farming model.

Dam xanh fish are now widely raised in areas along cold streams, such as in villages of Nghe, Khan, and Cum, with the total area of fish ponds in Van Mai surpassing 7ha. The raised fish have been well received in the market, with many customers saying that their flesh is as firm as that of wild-caught fish.

Currently, most Van Mai dam xanh fish are sold to hotels and restaurants in the district and some nearby provinces and cities. The commune has established a cooperative specialising on raising dam xanh fish, with 16 members who regularly share production techniques, work on developing the product as an OCOP item, and enhance the brand and value of the fish.

Kha Van Sanh, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Van Mai commune, said that to increase income for residents and add value to local agricultural products, the Party Committee and commune administration have prioritised expanding the fish farming area while ensuring consistent quality, aiming to make dam xanh fish a key local commodity.

To support residents in fish farming, the commune has launched credit and loan programmes, organised training courses, and arranged field trips for farmers to share experiences in raising dam xanh fish. As a result, many households have achieved stable incomes and successfully risen out of poverty.

Six-month industrial production index estimated to rise 20%

According to data from the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee, the industrial production index for the first six months of 2025 is estimated to have increased by 20% compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest year-on-year growth rate for this period since 2020.

Exports exceeded 1.1 billion USD in 6 months

In the first six months of 2025, Hoa Binh province’s export turnover was estimated at 1.145 billion USD, marking an 18.11% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Import turnover was estimated at $ 804 million, a 17.15% increase, which helped the province maintain a positive trade balance.

The effectiveness of professional models of association and group in Tan Lac district

The lives of the ethnic minority farmers in Tan Lac district have gradually improved thanks to the new directions in agricultural production. This is a testament to the collective strength fostered through the professional associations and groups implemented by various levels of the district’s Farmers’ Union.

Building the brand of Muong village clean food

With the motto the "product quality comes first,” after nearly one year of establishment and operation, Muong village’s Clean Food Agricultural and Commercial Cooperative, located in Cau Hamlet, Hung Son Commune (Kim Boi district), has launched reputable, high-quality agricultural products to the market that are well-received by consumers. The products such as Muong village’s pork sausage, salt-cured chicken, and salt-cured pork hocks have gradually carved out a place in the market and they are on the path to obtaining the OCOP certification.

Hoa Binh ethnic farmers join forces through collective economic models

In the past, the phrase "bumper harvest, rock-bottom prices" was a familiar refrain for Vietnamese farmers engaged in fragmented, small-scale agriculture. But today, a new spirit is emerging across rural areas of Hoa Binh province - one of collaboration, organisation, and collective economic models that provide a stable foundation for production.

Maintaining farming area codes: Key to bringing Hoa Binh farm produce to global market

Maintaining growing area codes and packing facility codes in accordance with regulations is a mandatory requirement for agricultural products to be eligible for export. Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoa Binh province has intensified technical supervision of designated farming areas and packing facilities to safeguard the "green passport" that enables its products to access international markets.