Lam Thuong is bustling with bamboo shoots and apricots

In the highland commune of Lam Thuong, Lao Cai province these days, all the villages are bustling and busy during the bamboo shoot harvest season. From a native plant, bamboo shoots have become a "golden tree" that helps hundreds of households here escape poverty and become rich. The bamboo shoot season not only brings joy of a good harvest but also lights up the hope of a more prosperous and fulfilling life for the people here.

We visited Lam Thuong in mid-July, the peak season for bamboo shoots. Along the concrete roads winding around the hillsides, the most familiar image was of farmers carrying heavy bundles of fresh bamboo shoots on their backs.

From villages like Nam Chan and Kheo Leng to newly merged lands, everywhere you can hear laughter, the rustling sound of bamboo shoot peeling knives, and the distinctive aroma of boiled fresh bamboo shoots spreading in the air.

Lam Thuong people harvest bamboo shoots

The sweltering summer sun seems unable to slow down the urgent pace of work here. Everyone takes advantage of every precious hour of sunshine. Healthy people go up the hill to harvest, while the elderly and children stay home to help peel and slice. Every yard is fully utilized to dry batches of dried bamboo shoots, preparing for a season of supply to the market. It is a picture of enthusiastic labor, reflecting the joy and hope for a bountiful harvest.

Each kilogram of fresh bamboo shoots costs from 5000 - 6000 VND.

To better understand the effectiveness of this plant, we visited Mr. Hoang Van Ghi's family in Kheo Leng village.

With more than 10 years of experience, Mr. Ghi considers his 2 hectares of bamboo shoots his most valuable "reserve".

He excitedly shared: “This bamboo shoot is easy to grow, requires little care, just clear the weeds and the tree will grow by itself. From the third year onwards, it will start to yield a steady harvest. With the stable selling price of fresh bamboo shoots at about 5,500 - 6,000 VND/kg as it is now, each hectare also brings my family tens of millions of VND, enough to cover living expenses and send my children to school.”

Lam Thuong bamboo shoots are purchased at key points.

Not far away, Mr. Hoang Van Uc’s family in Tong Pang village is also busy with the crop season. Mr. Uc said that the bamboo shoot tree is truly a “hunger-eliminating and poverty-reducing” tree for the people.

Mr. Uc calculated: “Compared to growing cassava and corn, bamboo shoots provide a much higher and more stable income. A hectare of bamboo shoots, when stable, can yield up to 25-30 tons per year. With an average income of 60-90 million VND per hectare, many families in the commune have not only escaped poverty but also become rich.”

Previously, bamboo shoots mainly grew well in the old Lam Thuong commune. However, after merging three more communes, Mai Son, Khanh Thien and Tan Phuong, the total area of bamboo shoots in the new Lam Thuong commune is now 497 hectares. Of which, the old Lam Thuong commune contributed 350 hectares, the old Mai Son commune 67 hectares, the old Khanh Thien commune 35 hectares, and the old Tan Phuong commune 45 hectares. This figure shows the great potential and the pivotal role of bamboo shoots in the economic structure of the whole commune.

People of Kheo Leng village dry bamboo shoots.

According to agricultural officials, the technique of growing bamboo shoots is not too complicated. Farmers usually plant at a density of 400 - 500 bushes/ha. After only 3 years, the trees begin to produce stable yields. In the first years, the average yield is about 15 - 20 tons/ha. From the following years, when the bamboo shoots have matured, the yield can reach 25 - 30 tons/ha per year.

With a total area of nearly 500 hectares, it is estimated that each year Lam Thuong commune can supply the market with over 12,000 tons of fresh bamboo shoots, bringing huge income to local people.

In addition to selling fresh bamboo shoots, Lam Thuong people also focus on deep processing to increase the value of the product. Dried bamboo shoots are a typical example. The process of making dried bamboo shoots requires meticulousness and effort. After harvesting, fresh bamboo shoots will be boiled, thinly sliced and dried under the hot sun for 3 to 5 days. The effort is worth it when the selling price of dried bamboo shoots is many times higher, ranging from 150,000 - 180,000 VND/kg.

Each kilogram of dried bamboo shoots costs from 150,000 - 180,000 VND.

In particular, the "Lam Thuong Bamboo Shoots" brand has been certified as a 3-star OCOP product since 2020. This is an important step forward, affirming the quality and opening up wider market opportunities for the product. OCOP products have a QR code traceability stamp, helping consumers have more confidence in the quality and safety. In addition, the bamboo tree also brings double benefits when the leaves can be sold to traders for export, the tree trunk is used as construction materials and household items.

Lam Thuong is bustling with bamboo shoots.

Talking to us, Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan - Chairman of Lam Thuong Commune People's Committee, affirmed: "Bamboo shoots are an irreplaceable strength of the locality. Basically, it is a native tree, suitable for the soil and farming conditions of the people. The commune government will continue to accompany and support the people in applying science and technology, expanding the market and maintaining the OCOP brand. We aim to develop bamboo shoots sustainably, not only to reduce poverty but also to enrich ourselves legitimately on our homeland."

It can be said that the bamboo shoot is not just an agricultural product. For the people of Lam Thuong, it is a symbol of diligence, the result of sweat, and most importantly, the hope for a bright and prosperous future.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/lam-thuong-ron-rang-vao-vu-mang-mai-post649072.html