Enhancing the value of Pà Thẻn tea in Tri Phú commune.

From a self-sufficient crop, thanks to the diligent hands and innovative thinking of pioneers and the correct guidance of the local Party committee and government, tea is gradually asserting its position as a key crop, opening up a sustainable path in poverty reduction and improving the lives of people in Tri Phu commune.

People in Tri Phu commune are harvesting specialty tea.

The "torchbearer" in the Pà Thẻn tea region.

Looking at the lush green tea plantations stretching straight and tall, reaching towards the early morning sun on the slopes of Khuoi Hop hill, few would imagine that just a few years ago, this place was a barren, overgrown hillside, with only a few old, low-yielding tea bushes occasionally appearing. Yet now, under the skillful hands of farmer Tai Van Cat and his children, that hillside land provides a stable income of tens of millions of dong each year.

As one of the pioneers in bringing commercial tea cultivation to this land, Mr. Cat recalls that in 2014, with financial support from the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, his family boldly introduced new tea varieties to replace less efficient crops. In the early days, starting with small tea plots, he diligently watered, tilled the soil, and cared for each plant by hand. His hard work paid off; the tea plants thrived in the soil and water, growing rapidly.

To date, with over 0.5 hectares of tea plantations yielding a stable harvest, Mr. Cat's family regularly harvests two crops per month. After harvesting, the tea is sorted: some is sold fresh to the cooperative, and the rest is processed manually by the family to sell as dried tea. The income from tea has helped his family not only escape poverty but also accumulate savings.

Seeing the clear economic benefits from tea cultivation, Mr. Cat didn't keep his experience to himself. He pondered how to get the villagers to work together and prosper. However, the journey to change the mindset of the Pa Then people in Khuoi Hop was not easy.

For many years, the people here have been accustomed to traditional farming methods: planting only a few rows of tea around their houses to meet family needs, with their lives mainly depending on two precarious rice crops and small-scale livestock farming. The concepts of "commercial production" or "specialized tea cultivation" are still very unfamiliar, causing many households to express skepticism.

Undeterred by difficulties, Mr. Cat chose the "slow and steady" approach. He and his family actively applied scientific and technical methods to production, introducing high-yield tea varieties to create a visual demonstration model. When people saw Mr. Cat's tea plantation producing plump buds that fetched high prices, they were impressed and proactively came to learn from him.

In particular, during the period from 2014 to 2018, taking advantage of funding from the State's National Target Program to support people in disadvantaged areas, Mr. Cat actively went door-to-door to spread awareness and encourage participation. He wholeheartedly shared his experience and guided the people on everything from land preparation and planting to cultivation techniques.

From just a few hectares initially, the entire village of Khuoi Hop has now developed a concentrated tea-growing area of ​​over 10 hectares, with an estimated yield of 50 quintals/hectare. What is particularly commendable is that the entire tea-growing area of ​​the Pa Then people here completely avoids chemical fertilizers and herbicides. The villagers only use organic fertilizers, and weeding and harvesting are done entirely by hand, aiming for safe and sustainable agriculture .

Mr. Tai Van Cat instructs the locals on how to process tea leaves to ensure the authentic flavor of Pa Then tea.

Taking tea to a wider audience

Tea plants thrive in the soil and mild climate of Khuoi Hop village in particular and Tri Phu commune in general. Thanks to the favorable climate combined with a completely natural cultivation process, Pa Then tea, when brewed, always retains its clear green color, delicate aroma, and characteristic deep, sweet aftertaste.

To enhance the economic value of tea cultivation, the Pà Thẻn Tea Cooperative was officially established in 2017. The cooperative currently has 16 members involved in tea cultivation and processing. The cooperative has initially demonstrated the correctness of its direction in building a brand and guaranteeing product sales for its members and local farmers. The clearest evidence of this is that Pà Thẻn tea has achieved a 3-star OCOP certification at the provincial level, opening up significant opportunities to reach demanding markets.

Mr. Trieu Van Tiem, Director of Pa Then Tea Cooperative, happily stated: "To produce high-quality products that meet OCOP standards, the cooperative must strictly control the cultivation process using proper techniques and actively participate in agricultural extension training courses. The unity of the farmers and the guiding role of pioneers like Mr. Cat are key to elevating the local tea brand."

Despite encouraging initial results, the sustainable development of Pà Thẻn tea still faces significant obstacles. Currently, the market for the farmers' products remains unstable. The selling price of finished dried tea on the market is quite low, only around 150,000 VND/kg. This price does not reflect the meticulous manual care required by the farmers and does not guarantee a high enough income for them to confidently and comfortably make a living from tea production. Furthermore, local processing technology is generally still manual and small-scale, failing to meet the stringent and consistent standards in terms of appearance and quality required by high-end customers.

To address this problem, the Party Committee and the local government of Tri Phu commune have been actively involved in finding solutions. In the coming time, the locality will strengthen coordination with specialized agencies to open more in-depth training courses on processing and packaging techniques; at the same time, actively support the Pa Then Tea Cooperative in accessing preferential capital sources to invest in modern machinery and factory facilities to standardize product quality.

In addition, the commune will promote trade, connect supply and demand, bring Pà Thẻn OCOP tea products to e-commerce platforms and participate in trade fairs inside and outside the province to expand markets and increase income per unit of cultivated land for the local people.

With the unity of the people and the fundamental solutions of the government, we believe that the Pà Thẻn tea brand will continue to expand, bringing a prosperous and sustainable life to the people of the Tri Phú highlands.

Text and photos: Ly Thu

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202605/nang-tam-gia-tri-che-pa-then-xa-tri-phu-120646a/