Making a living from leaves

In the hilly region of Chan Mong commune, the leaves of the Dien and Mai trees, seemingly just a byproduct of the forest and hillside gardens, have become "green gold" in recent years, providing a stable livelihood for many local households. The business of collecting, processing, and drying these leaves has developed, boosting the economy of this hilly area, contributing to increased income, job creation, and retaining rural labor.

In the hilly region of Chan Mong commune, the leaves of the Dien and Mai trees, seemingly just a byproduct of the forest and hillside gardens, have become "green gold" in recent years, providing a stable livelihood for many local households. The business of collecting, processing, and drying these leaves has developed, boosting the economy of this hilly area, contributing to increased income, job creation, and retaining rural labor.

The story of Mr. Vu Quy Men in Zone 2, who has been involved in the business of buying and selling apricot and jasmine leaves for over 13 years, has become a prime example of diligence, innovation, and a willingness to take risks in Chan Mong commune. From a seemingly small-scale occupation, through his ingenuity and skill, it has become a high-income source for the local people. In 2013, recognizing the potential of buying and selling apricot and jasmine leaves, Mr. Men decided to open a processing workshop.

Initially, the business was primarily manual, small-scale, and heavily reliant on human labor and experience accumulated over each season. After years of hard work and a systematic business approach, Mr. Mến didn't just stop at collecting leaves but boldly invested in expanding into processing and drying them, gradually increasing the value of the product. From a small, independent facility, his family has now built two leaf processing workshops covering approximately 1,300 square meters, ranking among the top in terms of production scale.

Each drying batch typically takes 18 hours to meet the requirements.

After drying, the leaves are sorted again and neatly bundled before being sold to traders.

Each year, Mr. Men's family workshop purchases 700-800 tons of fresh leaves from local people at an average price of 16,000 VND/kg. This provides many households with a stable source of income, especially during the agricultural off-season. Currently, Mr. Men's processing facility has invested in four drying ovens, each with a capacity of 1.5 tons of fresh leaves per batch. The processing and drying procedures ensure the quality of the finished dried leaves before they are sold on the market.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, residing in Zone 2, Chan Mong commune, who has been involved in the craft of processing apricot blossom leaves for nearly 10 years, said: "This job is suitable for middle-aged people and provides a stable income of 7-8 million VND per month, so I've stayed with it for many years."

Besides generating income for his family, Mr. Men's business also provides regular employment for approximately 50 local workers, with an average income of 7 million VND per person per month. The majority of the workers are middle-aged women and unemployed agricultural laborers in the commune. This activity makes a positive contribution to addressing rural employment issues in the locality.

From April to the end of the year, during the leaf-gathering season, people throughout the commune are busy harvesting. Therefore, the leaf-gathering business has contributed to diversifying rural livelihoods, maximizing the use of available resources, reducing pressure on employment, and limiting the exodus of young workers. Many households can earn a significant additional income and improve their family's living standards simply by taking advantage of their free time to harvest leaves and sell them to factories in the commune.

Currently, Chan Mong commune has about 20 workshops that purchase and sell dried leaves of the Dien and Mai species. The processed dried leaves from these workshops are mainly sold through traders, primarily for export to the Chinese market to wrap traditional cakes. Thanks to maintaining consistent quality and business reputation, the output of Mai and Dien leaves has remained stable for many years, creating a foundation for the continued development of the leaf purchasing industry in Chan Mong.

Planting apricot blossoms and harvesting leaves is not a strenuous job, only requiring meticulousness and carefulness, making it suitable for people of all ages. Those who cannot harvest leaves themselves can work as leaf pickers for families with traditional drying ovens. Therefore, for many years, people in the commune have relied on this profession for their livelihood because it brings economic benefits and provides a stable income.

From seemingly insignificant leaves, the leaf collecting business in Chan Mong commune has become a bright spot in the economic development of the rural area. Without fanfare or ostentation, the story of apricot and jasmine leaves demonstrates the ability to thrive from local resources, through the diligence and creativity of the farmers. Amidst the changing landscape of the new rural areas, these leaf processing workshops continue to operate daily, contributing to maintaining a prosperous life in this countryside.

Content: Hong Nhung

PRESENTED BY: NGOC TUNG

Source: https://baophutho.vn/muu-sinh-tu-la-246229.htm