Visit Sa Dec flour village

The essence of Sa Dec rice flour

The Sa Dec flour village is located along the Nga Bat canal in Ward 2 and Tan Phu Dong commune, Sa Dec city ( Dong Thap province).

According to seasoned artisans in the village, the neutral pH of the river water combined with the delicious, sticky rice of the Mekong Delta has created the Sa Dec flour brand.

Sa Dec flour is renowned far and wide for its white, fine, pliable, and fragrant texture, unmatched anywhere else, and its distinctive flavor, a result of special natural ingredients.

Sa Dec rice flour village is the culmination of favorable natural conditions and the skillful craftsmanship of its rice flour makers.

For decades, Mr. Nguyen Van Nuong, owner of Tu Nuong flour production facility (Ward 2, Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province), has been dedicated to the rice flour making profession.

Mr. Nuong said: "This is a traditional family craft, passed down from my grandfather's generation to the present day. I have continued to preserve and develop this craft. The flour-making profession has significantly contributed to improving the lives of many families and the success of many generations."

He added that, in the past, people mainly made flour by hand. However, in recent years, people have introduced mechanization into the production process, which has reduced labor costs and lowered product prices. At the same time, it has increased flour production, meeting the high demand of consumers.

"When tasks like washing rice and grinding flour by hand are replaced by machines, labor productivity increases 4-5 times, the quality of flour products improves, food hygiene is enhanced, and consumers prefer them more."

"Every month, the facility supplies tens of tons of raw material powder to food processing businesses inside and outside Dong Thap province," Mr. Nuong added.

Setting a record for traditional cakes.

The rice flour production process in the Sa Dec flour-making village is constantly improving, and the mindset of the flour makers is gradually changing.

Currently, this traditional craft village still has over 160 households and production facilities, with an average output of over 30,000 tons of flour per year.

Mr. Truong Thanh Hy, owner of Thanh Hy rice flour production facility (Tan Phu Dong commune, Sa Dec city, Dong Thap province), said that the flour product is divided into two types: wet flour, which is supplied directly to factories and food processing facilities, and dry flour, which can be stored and processed gradually.

Applying technology to production helps increase the productivity of Sa Dec rice flour.

"From flour, local businesses have processed hundreds of products such as pho noodles, hu tieu noodles, vermicelli, rice noodles, banh canh noodles... The majority of the products are sold domestically and exported abroad through manufacturing companies and businesses in the area," Mr. Hy added.

In 2023, Guinness Vietnam recognized a record of 102 traditional dishes and cakes made from rice flour.

On February 21st, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided to include the traditional rice flour making craft in Tan Phu Dong commune and Ward 2, Sa Dec city (Dong Thap province) in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage: Traditional Crafts - Folk Knowledge.

Continue to promote the value

According to Ms. Vo Thi Binh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Sa Dec City, Dong Thap Province, in order to preserve and promote the Sa Dec rice flour making craft - a National Intangible Cultural Heritage - the City People's Committee has implemented many policies to revive the craft village, following the direction of the Sa Dec Rice Flour Craft Village Development Project until 2020, with a vision to 2030.

Specifically, the local authorities will encourage production facilities and businesses to reorganize and rearrange their flour production areas to ensure food safety and hygiene.

Support for the application of advanced machinery and equipment in flour production and the production of flour-based products through industrial promotion policies and related policies, such as shredding machines, centrifuges, vacuum machines, etc.

Rice flour has been used to create many popular traditional cakes.

In addition, create favorable conditions for establishments, businesses, and traditional flour-making villages in Sa Dec to participate in the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, which includes flour and processed flour products.

"The city is also increasing its focus on vocational training in the context of the rice flour making craft gradually declining."

"We will continue to form and develop cooperative economic models , linking production and consumption, as a prerequisite for developing into a Sa Dec flour village cooperative when conditions are favorable," Ms. Binh added.

According to Ms. Binh, the locality will also develop a model for community-based and experiential tourism based on the main focus of combining traditional flour-making villages and the Sa Dec flower village.

At the same time, develop tours and routes to visit Sa Dec flower village combined with tours and experiences of the traditional flour production process with the village's artisans.

"Combining the two traditional craft villages contributes to attracting tourists, promoting the image, introducing unique cultural features, and boosting economic development for the locality," Ms. Binh shared.

Rice flour is a type of powder made by finely grinding soaked rice grains; it is different from rice starch (which is usually made by soaking rice in an alkaline solution, instead of water).

Rice flour can be used as a substitute for wheat flour in some recipes. Rice flour is commonly used in Asian cuisine, such as in Vietnam, where it's often used in dishes like banh canh, banh bo, banh dau xanh, banh xeo, bun gao, banh cuon, and banh khoai...

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/ghe-tham-lang-bot-sa-dec-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-cap-quoc-gia-192240320151918487.htm