The scent of lotus flowers heralds the season.

In the early days of summer, the lotus pond of the Sen Viet Duc Agricultural Cooperative in Zone 4, Song Lo, Thanh Mieu Ward, enters its most beautiful season. The fragrance of lotuses wafts gently in the early morning breeze, the water surface is covered with the green of the leaves, dotted with blooming lotus flowers. More than just a simple lotus growing area, this place is gradually becoming a multi-valued agricultural economic model.

Starting from a small lotus pond model, after three years of persistent investment, the facility will officially develop into a cooperative in 2025 to professionalize its production and business activities.

The Sen Viet Duc Agricultural Cooperative currently cultivates about 1 hectare of lotus, mainly the Quan Am lotus variety with many white and red varieties. All the lotus seeds were imported from the South, so it took the cooperative more than a year to stabilize the cultivation area as it is now.

Locals harvest lotus flowers in the early morning.

The cooperative has invested nearly 1 billion VND to renovate ponds, create landscapes, purchase seeds, build a processing area, and perfect the production process. As a result, in 2025, the cooperative is expected to achieve a revenue of approximately 400 million VND, a figure that, while not large, marks a milestone demonstrating the right direction for a high-value agricultural model.

The distinguishing feature of the Viet Duc Lotus Agricultural Cooperative lies in its deep processing mindset. Instead of simply selling seasonal fresh flowers, the cooperative focuses on developing three main product lines: lotus leaf tea, lotus flower tea, and lotus blossom tea.

Members of the cooperative package and vacuum-seal the lotus leaf tea products.

After harvesting, the lotus leaves are processed, dried, and packaged using a special procedure to preserve their natural aroma. According to Mr. Le Duc Viet, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, lotus leaf tea is chosen by many customers for its sleep-aiding and cooling properties. Meanwhile, lotus flower tea – the main product – received OCOP 3-star certification in December 2025. The Cooperative spent nearly a year preparing to complete the legal documentation, register copyrights, obtain labels, and announce the product.

The lotus flowers have been infused with tea and are being prepared for cold drying in a chamber.

Each season, the cooperative produces approximately 14,000 packets of lotus leaf tea and over 10,000 lotus flower teas. These figures show that the lotus plant is no longer just a seasonal crop, but has become a product chain capable of creating sustainable value.

Viet Duc lotus flower tea product - a 3-star OCOP product.

Beyond production, the cooperative has also developed experiential tourism services amidst the lotus pond. Each lotus blooming season, the area attracts many young people, families, and photography groups who come to visit and take pictures. For a fee of approximately 50,000 VND per person, visitors can tour and take photos at the lotus pond. The cooperative also collaborates with local photographers to provide comprehensive services such as makeup, costume rental, and drone filming.

Young people and their teams take photos with lotus flowers.

Notably, the tourism approach here is quite community-oriented. Many repeat visitors are given free entry to help promote the cooperative's image. Photos of lotus flowers shared on social media become a natural communication channel, helping the Viet Duc Lotus brand reach more new customers.

Currently, the cooperative has 12 permanent employees, earning approximately 6 million VND per month. In addition to their fixed income, employees also receive commissions based on the number of products sold. This approach helps each member become not just an employee but also a partner in brand development. From selling tea and introducing visitors to promoting products on social media, the members are motivated to stay involved.

Members of the cooperative are infusing tea with lotus flowers.

Growing lotus is not a case of "profitable after one season." According to Mr. Le Duc Viet, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, the cost of seeds alone amounts to hundreds of millions of dong. Meanwhile, the lengthy process of completing legal documents slows down the time it takes to bring the product to market. Risks from weather, pests, and fluctuating market prices are always present. However, instead of stopping at a small scale, the Cooperative continues to explore new avenues.

Mr. Le Duc Viet (on the left) - Deputy Director of the Cooperative, shares the story of lotus and the direction for the future.

In the coming period, Sen Viet Duc plans to strengthen its communication efforts through product promotional photos and videos ; and relaunch its stores on e-commerce platforms to expand its consumer market.

Alongside lotus cultivation, the cooperative is also collaborating with partner businesses to experiment with growing Queen Ginseng on over 3 hectares leased from local residents. This step demonstrates a diversified development mindset, not relying on a single crop.

From a small lotus pond, the Sen Viet Duc Agricultural Cooperative is demonstrating a new approach to agriculture: not just growing lotus for sale as raw materials, but also processing, building brands, and creating experiences for customers. There, the lotus flower doesn't just spread its fragrance on the water's surface. It's incorporated into every tea package, every photograph, every job of the local workers, and has become a story of the transformation of the agricultural economy.

There are two varieties of Quan Am lotus: white and red.

Amidst the new pace of rural development today, models like Sen Viet Duc are opening up a noteworthy direction. This is a way of doing agriculture with a market-oriented mindset, preserving local values, and a desire to keep people in their hometowns with sustainable livelihood models.

Ngoc Tuan

Source: https://baophutho.vn/huong-sen-goi-mua-255024.htm