Starting a business by raising guinea pigs.

As one of 298 outstanding examples in various fields of social life, honored and commended by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province in mid-September this year, the bamboo rat farming model of Mr. Dinh Tien Hoang, in Cang 3 hamlet, Tan Hoa ward, is a new direction demonstrating determination and a desire to get rich on his homeland. This affirms the role and position of the younger generation in the socio-economic development and innovation of the locality.

The bamboo rat farming model of Hoang Phat – HB Agricultural and General Services Cooperative in Tan Hoa ward has developed effectively and brought high income.

The arduous journey of starting a business.

My first impression and feeling upon meeting Mr. Dinh Tien Hoang, Director of Hoang Phat Agricultural and General Services Cooperative in HB, was one of approachability, enthusiasm, and a burning desire to get rich, typical of the younger generation in his homeland. Following him, we visited his farm, which boasts enclosed breeding facilities covering over 2,000 ^square meters and housing over 1,000 bamboo rats.

Sharing about how he got into the business of raising bamboo rats, Mr. Hoang said: “I became involved in this profession when I realized that the model was suitable for the natural conditions where I live. The most important factor is the abundant food source available locally, such as sugarcane, bamboo, corn, etc., ensuring a sufficient food supply for the animals. Therefore, I decided to give it a try by buying 10 pairs of bamboo rats from a facility that intended to switch to this business.”

Young people are full of energy, enthusiasm, and a desire to contribute, but they lack the courage and experience in the business world. When starting to develop his bamboo rat farming model, Mr. Hoang faced many difficulties regarding development direction, capital, and product markets. When he intended to expand production, he encountered further obstacles related to land availability and limitations in applying scientific and technical knowledge. At that time, bamboo rat farming was also not yet widespread in the locality, so learning and finding information was difficult. In particular, the market at that time was fragmented, lacking connections and expansion into neighboring regions and localities.

Bamboo rats are easy to care for and grow well as pets.

Mr. Hoang gradually transformed difficulties and challenges into motivation for success. From renovating the entire production area into a system of flat, fully equipped livestock pens with roofs and ventilation to meet farming needs, to applying scientific and technical advancements such as using winches and rail tracks to transport feed to the pens, these innovations have contributed to reducing labor and production costs, and improving production efficiency.

After 6 years of starting his business, Mr. Hoang's bamboo rat farming model has been successful, creating stable jobs for nearly 10 local workers with an average income of about 7 million VND/month. Currently, the total number of animals at the farm is consistently maintained at over 1,000, with two main breeds: the spotted bamboo rat and the peach-cheeked bamboo rat. The spotted bamboo rat has the advantage of growing quickly, reproducing 2-4 times a year, with 2-5 offspring per litter. The price of meat is 600,000 VND/kg, and the price of breeding stock is 1,200,000 VND/kg. The peach-cheeked bamboo rat currently sells for 800,000 VND/kg, and the price of breeding stock is approximately 2,000,000 VND/kg. By the end of September 2025, estimated revenue from supplying meat and breeding stock to markets in the northern provinces is over 2 billion VND.

A system for processing food for the bamboo rat population.

Spreading the entrepreneurial spirit

Following his success, in May 2024, Mr. Hoang decided to establish the Hoang Phat – HB Agricultural and General Services Cooperative with the desire to further expand the scale and develop the model. Accordingly, the cooperative focuses on applying scientific and technological advancements to the care of livestock to improve product quality. Simultaneously, it strengthens its promotional and marketing efforts, expanding its markets within the local area and neighboring regions. Along with promoting production and business activities, the cooperative also provides technical support and guarantees the purchase of all products from businesses and households raising bamboo rats in the area. This helps people access the market while ensuring stable product prices.

In fact, bamboo rats are very easy to raise and care for, and have good resistance to various viruses. Another advantage is their high reproduction rate of 2-4 litters per year, with each litter producing 2-5 offspring. Bamboo rats are considered a delicacy, with delicious, cooling, and protein-rich meat, making them popular in the market.

To overcome the challenges posed by the terrain of his livestock farm, Mr. Hoang installed a feed delivery system to reduce the need for manual labor.

Mr. Hoang added: "Based on the characteristics of the bamboo rat species, breeders need to invest capital in building elaborate and complex enclosures. The enclosures must ensure cleanliness, provide protection from the heat in summer, and keep the animals warm in winter. In addition, it's necessary to invest in machinery to cut and chop the feed for the animals."

Comrade Bui Thi Huong, Secretary of the Tan Hoa Ward Youth Union, affirmed: “With determination and a strong will to prosper in his homeland, Mr. Hoang's bamboo rat farming model has been effective, creating a stable income for his family and regular employment for local workers. In the future, the Ward Youth Union Executive Committee hopes that Mr. Hoang will continue to expand the scale of production, while also paying attention to and assisting Youth Union members and young people in the area who wish to learn and develop the model. He should also promote and introduce the model, and expand the market in the area and neighboring regions. This will help increase income, improve the quality of life for his family, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the locality.”

Duc Anh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/khoi-nghiep-tu-nuoi-dui-240759.htm