The "2-in-1" model in Long Coc

The stunning, bowl-shaped tea hills in Long Coc commune are now not only a popular destination for tourists, especially photographers, but tea products are also gaining closer access to visitors thanks to the brand and quality assurance achieved through the integration of ecotourism development with the promotion of local specialties. This "2-in-1" model offers suggestions for localities with unique products in building brands and leveraging their advantages for effective economic development.

Building a brand through quality.

Long Coc commune currently has 960.54 hectares of tea plantations, of which 943 hectares are already producing tea, with an estimated yield of 13.2 tons/hectare/year, and a total tea production of approximately 6,230 tons/year. Many high-quality tea varieties with high yields and distinctive flavors are popular, such as Shan tea, PH1, LDP1, LDP2, PT14, etc., along with native varieties like PT95, Kim Tuyen, Bat Tien, etc. Among them, Shan tea is a valuable variety, cultivated since the 1980s, and now also grown in some neighboring communes such as Xuan Dai, Van Mieu, Minh Dai, etc. Currently, the commune has over 700 hectares of tea certified for safe production processes according to VietGAP, organic, and food safety standards, and each tea product has been assessed under the OCOP program.

The stunning, bowl-shaped tea hills in Long Coc not only bring economic value but also serve as a prerequisite for the development of local community tourism.

Since October 2015, with the support of the local government and the "Capacity Building and Community Access" project of the non-governmental organization Australian Fund for the People of Asia-Pacific, the Long Coc Safe Tea Production Cooperative was established with 3 members. In 2018, based on the transformation from the cooperative, the Long Coc Safe Tea Production Cooperative was established. Since then, the cooperative has become a bridge connecting and resolving difficulties related to seeds, fertilizers, scientific and technical knowledge, product output, and increasing income for tea-growing households.

Pouring us a cup of homemade tea, Ms. Pham Thi Hanh, Director of the Cooperative (Mang 2 area, Long Coc commune), recalled: Before the establishment of the cooperative, there were no tea processing facilities in the area; everyone worked independently. People mainly sold fresh tea leaves as raw materials to traders and factories, so the income of tea growers was low and unstable. “After a process of research, learning, and encouragement from the authorities, we established a cooperative, then a cooperative, to link production, gradually improve product quality, and seek markets to increase income for tea growers,” Ms. Hanh said.

Currently, the Long Coc Safe Tea Production Cooperative has 15 members with over 60 affiliated households, a total tea cultivation area of ​​35-40 hectares, of which more than 16 hectares are produced according to VietGAP standards. After many years of effort, the cooperative now has 6 products that have achieved OCOP 4-star standard.

Tea products from Long Coc attract the attention of foreign tourists visiting homestays in the area.

To ensure clean and safe tea raw materials that meet the increasingly high demands of the market, members of the cooperative and those affiliated with the cooperative are responsible for their products. During production, they do not use herbicides, chemical pesticides, or growth stimulants. All stages, from harvesting to processing, ensure quality and preserve the characteristic natural flavor. Currently, the cooperative's products, including Long Coc Premium Bat Tien Tea, Dinh Specialty Tea, Dinh Bat Tien Tea, and Shan Tuyet Tea, have established a strong market position and are favored by domestic consumers.

Ms. Ha Thi Thoa, a member of the cooperative, shared: "Previously, my family sold fresh tea leaves to traders, but the prices were low and unstable. After joining the cooperative, the selling price is higher, the output is more stable, and the family's economic situation has improved."

In 2024, the cooperative's production of tea according to VietGAP standards reached 50 tons of fresh tea and over 10 tons of dried tea. Each hectare of tea yielded an income of 80-100 million VND/year (the household with the largest area had 7 hectares), providing a regular income of 5-6 million VND/person/month for 5-7 laborers (approximately 20 working days per month).

Taking advantage of tourism development opportunities.

Long Coc tea hills not only bring economic benefits but also attract domestic and international tourists. Visitors are very interested in the beautiful scenery of the bowl-shaped tea hills, watching and experiencing the traditional tea-making process of the Muong people, enjoying the tea on the spot, and buying tea as gifts for family and relatives. Mr. Nguyen Tri Tu, a tourist from Thuong Tin (Hanoi), shared: "Long Coc tea, when brewed, usually has a light green color, a natural aroma, a full range of bitter, astringent, and sweet flavors, is easy to drink, and especially has a deep aftertaste. Along with admiring the bowl-shaped tea hills and enjoying a cup of local tea, we also got to directly experience the process of harvesting and processing by the locals, which was very attractive."

According to Pham Thi Hanh, Director of the Long Coc Safe Tea Production Cooperative, in recent years, tourism and travel companies have brought many domestic and international tourist groups to see and experience the tea processing process at the cooperative. Many tourists, after the experience, buy various types of tea for personal use or as gifts. Foreign tourists prefer to buy black tea, while domestic tourists like to buy both black tea and green tea.

Tea production and processing in Long Coc is not simply a purely economic activity; it is now incorporated into tourism tours and is a popular product among visitors.

Besides selling directly to tourists at the production site, tea products have also been "on display" at tourist destinations in the area. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Viet - Chairman of the People's Committee of Long Coc commune - shared that the interconnected tea hill ecosystem in the commune is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in the North. However, tourism development in the area is still not commensurate with its potential; production and business activities are generally small-scale; accommodation facilities do not meet the demand during peak season; and tourism products are still monotonous. The number of tourists visiting Long Coc remains modest...

Taking advantage of the terrain, the beauty of the tea hills, and media promotion, many community-based tourism models have formed and developed in Long Coc, opening up opportunities for the local "green economy" to make a breakthrough.

To effectively exploit its existing potential and strengths, Long Coc commune is implementing the project "Leveraging internal resources and promoting investment attraction for economic development associated with green tourism in the period 2025 - 2030". According to the project, the locality aims to have Long Coc Tea Hill recognized as a provincial-level tourist destination by 2030, positioned as an attractive, friendly, and sustainable green tourism destination with a capacity to accommodate at least 50,000 visitors per year; and to establish a system of accommodation with 100 self-contained rooms and 10 community rooms meeting standards... The project also sets out key tasks such as: Completing transportation infrastructure connecting tourist destinations; supporting businesses and households in upgrading accommodation facilities and diversifying tourism service models; developing a circular, multi-value agricultural production model associated with tourism experiences and developing OCOP products; promoting the cultural identity of the Muong and Dao ethnic groups for tourism; and accelerating renovation. landscape preservation, environmental protection; enhancing the promotion of Long Coc's image, especially on digital platforms...

The traditional tea-making activities of the Muong people attract tourists seeking a unique experience.

However, to enhance the value of tea cultivation in conjunction with tourism development in the 2026-2030 period, the People's Committee of Long Coc commune has made several proposals to higher-level authorities and departments, such as: focusing on supporting the development of tea-growing areas linked to ecotourism and community tourism in the locality; providing funding for environmental improvement and designing pathways around the tea hills to create tourist landscapes; replacing tea varieties with new, higher-yielding ones; and providing technical support for production, food safety, and the application of advanced processing technologies to improve the quality and value of tea after harvesting...

National Assembly

Source: https://baophutho.vn/mo-hinh-2-trong-1-o-long-coc-245610.htm