Born into a farming family, Luong has been closely associated with fields, gardens, and fruit trees since childhood. After graduating with a degree in Sociology from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Duong Thuy Luong (born in 1990, from La Hien commune, Vo Nhai district, Thai Nguyen province) continued her studies to obtain a master's degree.
In 2013, Luong returned to her hometown and joined the Youth Union and Children's Union. During her participation in local social activities, she realized that the land where she was born and raised had many successful vegetable and fruit farming models that helped people earn income, contributing to poverty reduction and supporting their children's education. However, the market for these products was often unstable, prices were inconsistent, and the common problem of "good harvest, low prices; high prices, poor harvest" still plagued farmers, leaving them consistently at a disadvantage.
This is what has always troubled Luong, and he wants to contribute to ease the burden on local people in selling their products.
Based on that understanding, Luong spent time researching the production methods and markets for clean agricultural products in several places inside and outside the province, understanding that consumers prefer clean agricultural products with clear origins. To facilitate implementation and support many ethnic minority people in the locality, Luong determined that the shortest path was to establish a cooperative.
Representatives from the La Hien Clean Agricultural Products Cooperative exchanged techniques for cultivating commercial chili peppers with farmers in La Hien commune.
Acting on her idea, in 2019, Ms. Duong Thuy Luong decided to establish the La Hien Clean Agricultural Products Cooperative with 7 members and a charter capital of 200 million VND, with the desire to build a brand for La Hien's agricultural products and contribute to the development and enhancement of the value of clean agricultural products.
Ms. Luong shared: “I established the clean agricultural products cooperative with the aim of linking households producing clean and safe agricultural products, firstly to ensure the consumption needs of people in the commune, and secondly to expand to larger markets… ”.
Initially with 7 members, the cooperative focused on growing mushrooms, beekeeping for honey, and cultivating custard apples according to VietGAP standards. To implement these activities systematically, the cooperative built a mushroom cultivation workshop spanning over 150m2 with a total investment of over 100 million VND, replanned a 1-hectare custard apple growing area, and strengthened and developed over 300 beehives.
In 2019, the cooperative produced 4 tons of dried wood ear mushrooms, 100 kg of shiitake mushrooms, 100 kg of oyster mushrooms, and 1,000 liters of honey. The cooperative's products were purchased by Phu Gia Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Hung Son town, Dai Tu district). Custard apples and honey were sold in the provincial market and to some stores in Hanoi , generating revenue of over 500 million VND.
Let's get rich together with the people.
In addition to its members, the cooperative has also established links with 100 households, divided into several production groups with various products, while focusing on developing honey production to prepare for the provincial-level OCOP competition this year. Currently, the cooperative has 30 beekeeping households, including 10 households participating in the cooperative group with over 1,000 beehives, producing an average of about 10 tons of honey per year.
Since households joined the cooperative, honey products have been labeled and traceable, significantly increasing the value of the honey, which can now be sold for 300,000 VND per liter.
Duong Thuy Luong introduces the honey products of La Hien Clean Agriculture Cooperative.
"In the future, I plan to strongly develop honey products, considering them as the main product to bring in significant revenue for cooperative members and people in the region. I also plan to package the honey for convenience to consumers in order to boost product consumption," Ms. Luong said.
Currently, the cooperative provides regular employment for over 10 people with an income of 4-5 million VND/person/month. In addition, the cooperative also provides seeds, technical training on planting and caring for chili peppers, and signs a commitment to purchase all chili peppers from 15 farmers in the commune and some hamlets of Khe Mo commune (Dong Hy district) with a total area of 2 hectares.
According to estimates, each plot of chili peppers brings in an income of over 20 million VND for the people, five times higher than rice cultivation.
"I want to pursue a career in agriculture to provide high-quality agricultural products and to help build a product value chain in the market," Ms. Luong said.
At this point, the market for products from the La Hien Clean Agricultural Cooperative in La Hien commune has basically stabilized. In the first six months of this year alone, the cooperative's revenue reached 600-700 million VND.
The La Hien Clean Agriculture Cooperative also recognizes the need to remain committed to agriculture and farmers, with the core objective of focusing on low profit margins to develop, build a brand, and expand the market. The main goal remains to assist farmers in selling their products at higher prices.
With ambitions and aspirations to get rich, in the coming time, Ms. Luong plans to continue growing reishi mushrooms, expanding the area for growing custard apples, and increasing the number of bee colonies. In addition, the cooperative will also expand its linkages to provide seeds, scientific and technical knowledge, and product buyback for nearly 50 households growing about 5 hectares of chili peppers.
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