Improving product value and people’s lives

Bac Kan is a province with a large population of ethnic minorities, where agriculture remains the main livelihood of the people. However, fragmented production, lack of stable output and low product value have caused many households to face difficulties in economic development.

Faced with that reality, Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative, under the management of Director Trieu Xuan Phuong, has implemented many practical solutions to help ethnic minorities increase their income and create sustainable livelihoods through building a production and consumption chain for “Mien dong.” Vietnam Economic News’ Ngoc Hoa had an interview with Trieu Xuan Phuong to learn more about the activities supporting ethnic minorities in their economic development.

What policies has Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative benefited from over the past time, to improve production efficiency and product value? How effective is the production and consumption of products by the cooperative now?

The production of “Mien dong” is not only a traditional occupation, but also an important livelihood for thousands of households. Over the past recent years, Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative has received many support policies from the State and local authorities to improve production efficiency and increase product value.

Bac Kan vermicelli products are popular in the market because of their delicious quality - photo: MoIT

Thereby, the cooperative has invested in modern machinery, such as closed production lines and high-tech vermicelli drying systems, helping ensure more stable product quality and reduce dependence on weather conditions. In addition, the cooperative has also participated in training programs on production techniques according to VietGAP standards, helping improve quality and food safety, meeting the demand of both domestic and foreign markets.

Currently, the cooperative’s vermicelli products are available in large supermarkets, such as Winmart, Big C in many provinces and cities, and expanding to online sales channels. In particular, some products have been exported to Japan and the Republic of Korea. However, sustainable development still faces many challenges, especially in enhancing brand value and expanding international consumption markets.

Over the past time, what measures has Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative implemented to promote sales of vermicelli product?

To increase income for ethnic minorities, Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative has implemented many important activities. First of all, we built a sustainable production chain, linking with more than 200 households growing dong roots in mountainous areas such as Ba Be, Pac Nam, and Ngan Son districts. The local growers have been instructed with organic farming techniques, without using chemicals, ensuring the quality of clean and safe raw materials.

In addition, the cooperative has focused on improving product quality, packaging and developing brands to increase the value of goods. We also coordinated with local authorities to support them in training programs, improving production skills to ensure products meet high quality standards.

The cooperative has also enabled them to directly participate in the production chain, not only growing raw materials, but also practicing the processing stages. As a result, many local workers have got stable jobs, with income increasing by 30 to 40%.

What solutions has the cooperative implemented during the operation process to help ethnic minorities not only maintain their traditional occupations, but also enhance production efficiency and improve their lives?

The cooperative has proactively expanded the production linkage model, supporting growers from planting to processing, helping them participate more deeply in the high-value supply chain. Currently, the cooperative has created regular jobs for more than 10 local households, with an average income of 5 to 7 million VND per month.

In 2023, the cooperative boldly invested in its own dong root starch processing machinery to create a raw material area for the facility and some other facilities in the area. It also encouraged local people in some communes to grow arrowroots and committed to purchasing the products at the price ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 VND/kg, resulting in a fairly large purchase output in 2023.

In 2024, the cooperative continued to purchase arrowroots from people in the district, and at the same time giving them fertilizer on credit, which will be deducted by the end of the year. This year, the cooperative continues to encourage people to expand the arrowroot growing area, helping increase incomes and improve the local households’ lives.

Trieu Thi Ta at a “Mien dong” production facility of Trieu Thi Ta Cooperative - photo: NVCC

In addition, the cooperative has organized vocational training courses, instructed people to grow arrowroots according to clean standards, without using chemicals, helping to increase the value of input products. In particular, we also enable growers to access capital sources to develop household economic models, expand growing areas, and ensure stable input materials for the cooperative.

What proposals do you make for local authorities to further improve the efficiency of agricultural production and sales of products?

To achieve sustainable development, we hope that local authorities will continue to support ethnic minorities in the production and sales of “Mien dong.” First of all, it is necessary to further expand the sustainable arrowroot growing areas by specific plannings to avoid oversupply or shortage of raw materials.

In addition, the government can support businesses and cooperatives in registering trademark protection and geographical indications for Bac Kan “Mien dong,” helping enhance the value and reputation of the product in the market. Connecting them with export enterprises and exploring international markets are also very important to expand output and increase income for the people in mountainous areas.

In addition, investing in transport and logistics infrastructure is necessary to reduce transportation costs, helping products reach the market faster. At the same time, the government needs to continue to support specialized training programs on production management and technology application in production for local cooperatives and enterprises. If there is a close coordination between the government, enterprises and farmers, Bac Kan “Mien dong” will certainly become a key product, both domestically and internationally, contributing to improving the lives of ethnic minorities and promoting a sustainable economic development.