"Awakening" low-lying areas with lotus plants.

Ms. Le Thi Thu, director of the Thanh Hoa Lotus Cooperative, introduces products made from lotus. Photo: Trung Hieu.

"Thu Sen" is the name given to Ms. Le Thi Thu not only by locals but also by lotus enthusiasts throughout the province. She earned this name because for many years she has diligently and pioneered in the commune, investing capital and effort to build a career in lotus cultivation. During the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), her work becomes much busier with more orders, including products she makes primarily by hand, requiring meticulous attention to detail and considerable time.

Sharing about her connection with lotus flowers, Ms. Thu said: “I love all kinds of flowers, especially lotus flowers because this flower is deeply connected to the countryside and the soul of the Vietnamese people. In the past, whenever the lotuses bloomed, walking in the open air, admiring the simple beauty and gentle fragrance of the lotus, I felt lighter and more relaxed amidst the many difficulties of life. And from that love, I researched and realized that lotus flowers are not only beautiful, but products made from them also offer many health benefits if used correctly.”

Passionate about agriculture , and noticing that many areas in her hometown were abandoned due to acidic soil, low-lying land, and poor farming efficiency, in 2019 she discussed with her family the idea of renting this land to grow lotus. She learned from experience in many places, then hired bulldozers to level and improve the land, and bought various lotus seeds to plant on 4.5 hectares. However, right from the start, her first lotus crop was a complete failure. She lost 680 million VND due to poor land preparation. Holding lotus tubers eaten by golden apple snails in her hands, she burst into tears in the middle of the field.

However, undeterred, she continued to borrow money from relatives to import more lotus varieties for cultivation and hired experts to provide hands-on training and technology transfer. As a result, the lotus plants thrived, yielding economic benefits. From experimenting with 20 lotus varieties, she later imported and expanded her cultivation to over 200 different lotus varieties. Persisting with her chosen path, Thu's lotus pond now boasts a multitude of colors, such as the white of the White Lotus, the yellow of Nanjing, the blood-red of the Red Lotus, the Lycoris flower, the pink of the Super Lotus, and the single red of the Beijing lotus... blooming most profusely in June and becoming a popular check-in spot, attracting many people to visit and take photos.

"Each lotus variety has its own advantages; some are suitable for harvesting flowers, tubers, and seeds, while others are ideal for making tea or flavoring tea... Therefore, to increase economic value, I've considered expanding the cultivation area and linking it with processed lotus products," Ms. Thu shared.

In 2024, Ms. Thu boldly established the Thanh Hoa Lotus Cooperative, where she serves as director. Despite facing numerous challenges, with her diligence and perseverance, Ms. Thu transformed potential into reality. She invested in machinery, diversified products, and invested in branding and packaging to enhance the value of lotus-based products. Currently, the Thanh Hoa Lotus Cooperative processes 14 products from the lotus plant, many of which are highly appreciated by consumers, such as lotus seed jam, lotus root tea, dried lotus seeds, lotus root starch, lotus vermicelli, etc. These products are now supplied to markets throughout Vietnam, both North and South, and are highly valued by consumers.

After years of hard work and dedication, Ms. Le Thi Thu's lotus farming model has now helped stabilize her family's life. Ms. Le Thi Van Anh, Vice President of the Dong Tien Ward Farmers' Association, said: “Lotus farming is a relatively new economic development direction in this rural area. Not only has it developed her family's economy, but Ms. Thu has also created regular employment for four workers with an average income of 7-9 million VND per person per month. Ms. Thu is a shining example of economic development for everyone to learn from and emulate.”

Trung Hieu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/danh-thuc-vung-dat-trung-tu-cay-sen-273651.htm