Over the years, collective economy with cooperatives as the core has affirmed its role and position in paving the way for the building of new-style rural areas in Hoa Binh.
Hop Tien forest honey product by Green Life Cooperative in Hop Tien commune, Kim Boi district, which has been rated three star in the One Commune-One Product (OCOP) programme, is introduced during a project to improve livelihood opportunities for youngsters from ethnic minority groups held by Aide et Action Vietnam.
Quyet Chien commune of Tan Lac district, which is home to massive vegetable and chayote farms, has established Quyet Chien Cooperative. Bui Van Hoang, a local farmer, said that each year, after joining the cooperative, he earns 80-120 million VND (3,284-4,926 USD) from each hectare of chayote farm.
Along with guiding local farmers in cultivating safe vegetable, Quyet Chien Cooperative, which has so far had 50 members, has support them in selling their products and applying science and technology in off-season vegetable growing to earn higher income.
Meanwhile, in Doc Lap commune of Hoa Binh city, Doc Lap Cooperative was formed in November 2020 with an initial membership of 10. So far, the cooperative has drawn 50 local households who raise goats and grow winter melon. It has assist local farmers in selling about 2,000 tonnes of winter melon per year.
Nguyen Thu Thu Huong, a local in Song village of Doc Lap commune, said that as a member of the cooperative, her family has received five breeding goats and goat raising guidance. Each breeding goat can give birth to three baby goats each year, she said, stressing that the model has greatly supported her family in stabilising their livelihood.
Stable cooperatives and models of production combined with product selling are among criteria for a new-style rural area.
Recognising the significance of cooperative economic establishment, over the eyars, Hoa Binh has effectively implemented plans, programmes and policies to support this economic sector.
Statistics from the provincial Steering Committee for Cooperative Economic Development showed that currently, Hoa Binh has 639 cooperative economic establishments that are operating stably, drawing more than 16,000 members. This year, the average revenue of each cooperative is about 1.54 billion VND, that of a people’s credit fund at 19.2 billion VND and of a cooperative group 201.5 million VND.
Nguyen An Dinh, Chairman of the provincial Cooperative Alliance, said that in the time to come, the province will strengthen communications, consultations and support policies in order to form new cooperatives and enhance the operational efficiency of operating ones, especially in communes that have yet to complete the new-style rural area building programme at all levels.
At the same time, the province will continue to guide localities to build modern cooperatives with linkage in production, business and product selling, while providing optimal conditions for cooperatives to access development support policies.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
