Dao Tan Thanh people change thanks to cinnamon trees

The immense cinnamon hills stretch across the hillsides of Tan Thanh. Some cinnamon hills are ripe for exploitation, some are being pruned and sold by locals, and there are newly planted forests, young and full of life. Cinnamon has become a sustainable livelihood, a source of pride for the Dao people in Tan Thanh hamlet, Bac Kan ward for many years.

People of Tan Thanh group, Bac Kan ward check cinnamon hill.

In 1972, after leaving Khuoi Mang for the new land, the Dao people established Tan Thanh village. At first, their livelihoods were still unstable, and their fields mainly relied on short-term crops, so poverty still lingered. It was not until cinnamon was brought back from Yen Bai that a new economic development direction gradually took shape.

Cinnamon trees are suitable for the soil and climate, so they grow quickly and have few pests and diseases. After 4-5 years, they can be pruned and sold, and after about 10 years, they can be fully harvested, bringing in a much higher income than other native crops. Since then, Tan Thanh people have proactively greened barren hills and expanded the cinnamon growing area. Up to now, the whole village has over 300 hectares of cinnamon, becoming the main crop, opening up a sustainable way out of poverty for the people.

“Thanks to cinnamon trees, people’s lives have changed completely. Before, they only knew corn and cassava all year round, sometimes hungry, sometimes full. Now, each season of pruning, selling or harvesting cinnamon, people have a regular income, to send their children to school, and build new houses” - Mr. Phuong Hoang Minh, a resident of Tan Thanh group shared.

Mr. Ban Quy Ha, a resident of the group, said: My family grows more than 2 hectares of cinnamon, the trees grow fast, and are disease-free. When the trees are 4 years old, we prune them and sell them, so my family has a regular income to support our lives.

Over the years, the local government has paid special attention to developing the forest economy for the people of Tan Thanh. Through support programs and projects, many training courses on science and technology transfer have been organized, helping people better understand the process of planting, caring, harvesting and preserving cinnamon products. Thanks to this, even poor, near-poor or disadvantaged households have the opportunity to access seed sources and preferential loans, thereby boldly investing in expanding the forest planting area.

Up to now, the whole village has 89 households, 100% of which grow cinnamon. The average cinnamon growing area is 3-4 hectares per household, in which there are families owning more than 10 hectares - becoming "bright spots" in forest economy.

Not only stopping at expanding the area, many households also form the habit of scientific farming, intercropping short-term crops in the early stages, then focusing on investing for cinnamon trees to grow, bringing long-term economic efficiency.

Traders buy cinnamon for people in Tan Thanh, Bac Kan ward.

Mr. Trieu Huu Quan's family currently owns more than 6 hectares of contiguous forest land. On the gentle slopes, he uses about 4.5 hectares to grow cinnamon, and the remaining 2 hectares of flatter land are planned to grow fruit trees and turmeric. With the new cinnamon areas from 1 to 3 years old, Mr. Quan takes advantage of intercropping with short-term crops, both "taking short-term to support long-term" and creating additional income for the family.

In previous years, about 5 hectares of cinnamon of his family have been harvested. On average, each hectare of cinnamon brings in a value of 250 to 300 million VND, helping his family have a more and more prosperous life than before. "Growing cinnamon is hard work, but in return it brings clear results. Thanks to cinnamon, I can fully feed my children, repair the house and reinvest in the forest" - Mr. Trieu Huu Quan shared

These days, the cinnamon purchasing facility of Mr. Nong Quoc Duong's family is always bustling with people coming and going. After harvesting, people cut branches, peel bark and then transport them back to sell, most crowded in two time frames: late morning and late afternoon. The facility has not only become a familiar consumption point for local people but also creates stable jobs for 8-10 local workers with a steady income. Currently, the purchasing price is maintained at 18-19 thousand VND/1kg of fresh bark and 2 thousand VND/1kg of cinnamon branches.

Mr. Nong Quoc Duong said: Every day, my facility buys an average of 4-5 tons of cinnamon from people in the village and neighboring areas. Cinnamon in Tan Thanh is of good quality, thick bark, high essential oil, so many traders come to visit.

Thanks to cinnamon trees, the appearance of Tan Thanh village has changed significantly. The simple wooden houses of the past have been gradually replaced by well-built houses, accounting for nearly 80% of the total number of households. A more prosperous life has helped many families not only to fully equip themselves with living facilities, but also to be able to buy cars for travel and production. In 2024, the average income of the village reached over 53 million VND/person/year, the poverty rate decreased to only 6 households.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/tin-moi/202509/nguoi-dao-tan-thanh-doi-thaynho-cay-que-a6f626f/