Bac Ninh: Local specialties attract tourists during Tet holiday.

BAC NINH - In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, the specialty product market in Bac Ninh province is more vibrant. From traditional craft villages to OCOP product distribution agents, purchasing power has increased sharply, contributing to job creation, raising people's income, and boosting the local economy.

Traditional craft villages are in full swing.

In Hoang Van commune, the Van sticky rice cake making village enters its peak production season right from the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. Recognized as a 3-star OCOP product in 2022, Van sticky rice cakes are famous for their wrapping method using bamboo leaves, which helps the cakes retain their natural color as well as the characteristic chewy, fragrant, rich, and savory taste of glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork fat.

The province's unique products attract customers.

Having been involved in the craft for over 40 years, Ms. Bui Thi Dai (Bao An village) said that during Tet (Lunar New Year), her family hires an additional 3-4 seasonal workers. On average, the business sells over 1,000 cakes per month; this year alone, they have received orders for nearly 6,000 cakes. In Van Thach village, Ms. Le Thi Van also has many years of experience in making cakes and is sought after by numerous customers from many provinces and cities. Currently, her family makes about 100-200 cakes per day. Ms. Van shared: "This year, due to the impact of storms and floods, the price of raw materials is higher. Therefore, the price of Tet cakes has increased by about 10,000 VND/cake compared to normal days, ranging from 60,000 to 70,000 VND/cake."

The bustling production atmosphere has also spread to many other craft villages. In Tu Son ward, Dinh Bang sticky rice cakes continue to be a popular item. Along the road in Thuong residential area, there are currently about 20 households producing cakes using traditional methods, with ingredients including glutinous rice flour, green papaya, and gardenia fruit juice for natural coloring. Not only a familiar local delicacy, sticky rice cakes are increasingly being chosen for Tet gift baskets.

For a long time, the rice cake from Chờ village (formerly Yên Phong district, now Yên Phong commune) has been a beloved local delicacy. During Tet (Lunar New Year), it's a favorite because it's easy to eat and prevents boredom with the same old dishes. Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Lan's family in Ngô Nội village (Yên Phong commune) specializes in selling rice cakes. She started preparing the ingredients months in advance. This year, she mobilizes her entire family to help wrap the cakes, making about 500 cakes a day, a significant increase compared to normal days. The cakes cost around 6,000 VND each, depending on customer requests, and include both steamed and raw versions for convenience. "The closer it gets to Tet, the more orders there are. It's hard work, but very rewarding," Mrs. Lan shared.

Meanwhile, at Thien Loi Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Yen Dinh commune), the stoves burn continuously to process braised pork belly – a traditional dish of the ethnic minority people. The product is packaged and vacuum-sealed, making it convenient for transportation and storage. This Tet holiday, the cooperative expects to supply about 2,000 servings of braised pork belly to the market, priced at around 160,000 VND per serving.

In addition, many other specialties of the Kinh Bac region such as Lien Chung grilled spring rolls, Luc Ngan horse meat spring rolls, Tho Ha rice paper spring rolls, Son Dong vermicelli, Thai Son sticky rice, Bui spring rolls, Ho chicken, Yen The hill chicken, Phi Dien apples, Luc Ngan sweet oranges… also recorded increased consumption compared to normal days. This created an abundant supply for the Tet market.

Focus on product design and expand distribution channels.

Along with the demand for safe food, during the Lunar New Year season, dishes associated with nostalgic memories of the homeland retain their unique appeal. Recognizing this trend, localities in the province have intensified the promotion and introduction of OCOP products through mass media, e-commerce platforms, social networks, and trade fairs; while also encouraging businesses to invest in improving quality, design, and packaging to meet the increasingly diverse tastes of consumers.

Bac Giang OCOP Supermarket offers many characteristic products of Bac Ninh province.

The Bac Giang OCOP Supermarket (Bac Ninh Provincial Cooperative Support Center), located on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Bac Giang Ward, is one of the province's large-scale OCOP product showrooms and retailers. It displays over 1,000 items, ranging from fresh agricultural products and processed foods to medicinal herbs and traditional craft products. According to Ms. Nghiem Thi Huong, the supermarket manager, consumers are not only concerned about quality but also about appearance and design. Many cooperatives have proactively designed Tet gift boxes and baskets with flexible pricing to suit both the budget and high-end segments. As Tet approaches, the number of customers buying local specialties increases.

The Danh Duc Hanh Mountain Ginseng Cooperative (Phuc Hoa commune) develops products from Southern ginseng such as ginseng flower tea, instant ginseng, ginseng wine, etc., with attractive packaging designs and packaged in luxurious gift boxes, suitable for Tet holiday gift-giving needs. The Hung Uyen Cordyceps Cultivation Cooperative (Canh Thuy ward) recorded a strong increase in sales in the last months of the year with new gift box designs featuring a dominant red color scheme, contributing to enhancing product value and competitiveness in the market.

Besides being sold directly at stores, supermarkets, or traditional markets, many specialties such as banh chung (sticky rice cake), banh phu the (husband and wife cake), vermicelli, cordyceps, Phi Dien apples, sweet pomelos, etc., are also being offered on e-commerce platforms, social media, and livestreams, with online orders and home delivery. This expands the customer base beyond the province during Tet (Lunar New Year). Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan (from Bac Ninh province, currently living in Hanoi) shared: “Even though I live far away, every Tet I still order banh chung and some OCOP products from the province as gifts for friends. These gifts are delicious, safe, and have a strong taste of home, so everyone likes them.”

During the Lunar New Year holiday, the consumption of local specialty products through OCOP supermarket systems, digital commerce channels, and linked distribution chains increased by approximately 230% compared to normal days. This result clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of product standardization under the OCOP program, affirming the correct direction in expanding distribution channels and building brands.

 

Text and photos: Khoi Nguyen

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/bac-ninh-dac-san-dia-phuong-hut-khach-dip-tet-postid438841.bbg