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| The people of Binh Minh village, Na Ri commune, sell cinnamon to traders. |
Binh Minh village was established by merging Na Don and Khuoi It villages. The village currently has 97 households, of which 62% are Dao people, with the remainder being Tay, Nung, and Kinh. In terms of economic development, the villagers mainly cultivate two key crops: cinnamon and tea. Currently, the cinnamon growing area is approximately 300 hectares, and the tea growing area is 23 hectares.
Previously, the villagers were tied to corn and cassava fields, toiling year-round in the fields, yet earning little income. The majority of households were poor, and basic necessities like food and clothing remained constant worries. The turning point came in 2011-2012, after a study tour in Yen Bai province. Mr. Trieu Van Toan, the village Party Secretary, realized that cinnamon trees could open up a new direction. The climate and soil in the village were quite similar to the cinnamon-growing regions of Yen Bai, and the village had ample hilly land; if properly exploited, this could become an advantage.
Mr. Toan boldly experimented with planting cinnamon trees on his family's land. The trees took root and grew well. Based on this, the commune utilized reforestation support projects and implemented cinnamon cultivation on 134 hectares in the village. Seeing the clear results, the villagers no longer relied on government support but proactively invested their own capital to buy seedlings and expand their cultivation area. Mr. Toan's pioneering efforts helped the people change their production mindset, opening up a sustainable path out of poverty through cinnamon cultivation.
Mr. Lam Van Nguyen, the village head, has planted 4 hectares of cinnamon trees. In 2024, he harvested 500 trees, earning over 160 million VND. Mr. Nguyen said: "Cinnamon was first planted in the Khuoi Khe lake area, then people planted more on the hills near their houses. Now almost every household grows it."
For cinnamon trees, there are two best times of year to harvest the bark: February-March and August-September. During these times, villagers often hire or exchange labor with each other to harvest. "The hills are steep and difficult to navigate, so instead of each household doing it themselves, we usually exchange labor with each other or hire extra people to harvest, gather a large quantity, and sell it to earn a decent income," shared Ms. Truong Thi Bong.
Besides cinnamon trees, tea is also a product that brings considerable income to the villagers. Tea has mainly been grown in the former Khuoi It village for many years. Initially, the villagers planted small areas for self-sufficiency. Later, realizing that it could generate income and that the product was popular with customers, they planted more tea cuttings, rehabilitated existing tea seed areas, and applied scientific and technical methods in production to improve productivity and product quality.
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| People in Binh Minh village are harvesting tea. |
Ms. Dang Thi Luu, a villager, said: "Our family's tea garden is right next to our house, so it's very convenient for tending and harvesting. We harvest a batch of tea every month or so, providing a stable and higher income than other crops."
Binh Minh village is also blessed by nature with Khuoi Khe Lake, which has a surface area of approximately 32 hectares, winding along an 8km stretch amidst lush green mountains. To exploit this potential, the local government has invested in building tourism infrastructure, such as: an administration building, a boat dock, and support facilities… creating favorable conditions for tourists to visit and experience.
Mr. Trieu Van Toan, Secretary of the village Party branch, said: "We hope that all levels and sectors will continue to invest in infrastructure and support the people to develop Khuoi Khe Lake into an attractive tourist destination. The people will both engage in tourism and develop their strengths to increase their income..."
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202508/binh-minh-huong-di-moi-tu-que-va-che-d822c96/
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