Organic cinnamon flourishes

Phong Du Ha was once poor, now has a new look with solidly built houses... All of these changes originate from the cinnamon tree - a tree species considered the "green gold" of the great forest.

For generations, cinnamon trees have been associated with the Dao people in Phong Du Ha. Not only a medicinal herb, cinnamon is also a "poverty-reducing, wealth-making tree" that brings a stable source of income and affirms the position of local agricultural products in the domestic and foreign markets. In the past, people only knew how to plant, harvest and sell raw cinnamon, but now Phong Du Ha has found a sustainable direction: organic cinnamon production. Thanks to knowing how to take advantage of land and going in the right direction in improving product quality, people have turned cinnamon hills into valuable assets, bringing a prosperous and sustainable life.

Ms. Pham Phuong Chinh's family in Khe Lau village is one of the pioneers in applying the organic cinnamon growing model. On 5 hectares of cinnamon land, Ms. Chinh firmly said "no" to chemicals, instead using organic microbial fertilizers, taking care of the soil with natural methods, and keeping it moist with forest leaves. Ms. Chinh shared: At first, I was also worried that growing organic cinnamon would be difficult and the yield would not be high. But in reality, organic cinnamon sells for a higher price, has a stable output, and businesses buy directly from the site. People feel secure in their production while their land is also protected. Not only my family, but many other households in the village have changed direction because growing organic cinnamon is long-term and sustainable.

Ms. Chinh's story is not an isolated one but has become a vivid proof of the change in economic thinking of the Dao people in this highland area. Not far from Khe Lau, Ngan Vang village currently has 76 households, all of which grow cinnamon. Those with more land own 10 - 20 hectares, those with less land own 2 - 3 hectares. The whole village currently has over 500 hectares of organic cinnamon, bringing in a value of over 10 billion VND each year. Thanks to cinnamon trees, 100% of households in the village have a stable life, many households have become well-off.

Mr. Trieu Ton Lu, who has just completed a house worth 1.8 billion VND, excitedly shared: Cinnamon trees have changed the lives of my family and the whole village. Now people not only have enough food and clothing but can also take care of their children's education. Many families have bought cars. We told each other that only growing organic cinnamon can get high prices and be sustainable. That achievement is most clearly shown in the appearance of the countryside. From a place where they struggled all year round, now nearly 100% of households have solidly built houses, many households have built villa-style houses worth billions of VND. Cars as a means of transportation are no longer strange to the people.

Mr. Trieu Tai Hien shared: In the past, the roads were muddy, life was difficult in every way. Now, thanks to cinnamon, we have food and savings. After each harvest, the family has surplus to reinvest, build houses, and take care of children's education. The important thing is that we have determined: growing organic cinnamon is the only way to maintain the market.

Phong Du Ha commune currently has over 6,000 hectares of organic cinnamon, becoming one of the largest cinnamon growing areas in the province. The local government has also proactively accompanied the people, from technical training, brand building, to connecting businesses to consume products. Mr. Do Van Thanh - Chairman of Phong Du Ha Commune People's Committee affirmed: We identify cinnamon as a pillar of local economic development. The commune has implemented many synchronous solutions such as encouraging organic farming, building brands associated with traceability, and at the same time acting as a bridge to sign contracts with large companies. The upcoming goal is to convert the entire cinnamon area to organic production, promote the application of technology in deep processing, and create more value-added products. Thereby, increasing income, making cinnamon a "sustainable enrichment tree" for the people.

From small-scale, fragmented production, chasing short-term profits, Phong Du Ha people have now joined together in the same direction: organic farming, environmental protection, and increasing product value. The endless green cinnamon hills not only bring a stable source of income but also contribute to building a sustainable new countryside. The land that was once poor is now growing strongly, becoming the "clean cinnamon capital" of the province, contributing to creating the brand of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international market.

Presented by: Thuy Thanh

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/khoi-sac-tu-que-huu-co-post883539.html