With nearly 440 hectares of bamboo shoots, Gia Hoi commune is known as one of the "capitals" of this crop. This area is the result of the local government's guidance and the people's proactive efforts in developing the forest economy over the years.
The early morning in Toc Cai village, Gia Hoi commune, begins with a bustling rhythm. Motorbikes carrying groups of people armed with knives and shovels speed towards the hillside covered in a vast expanse of green bamboo shoots. Guided by Comrade Hoang Le Huy, Chairman of the Gia Hoi Commune People's Committee, we joined the crowd to witness firsthand the green sprouts emerging from the ground, bringing a bountiful harvest to the village.
From the village cultural center, it only took a few minutes by motorbike on the smooth, beautiful concrete road, then a few minutes' walk along a small dirt path, to reach the foot of the bamboo hill. The bamboo shoots were straight and tall, reaching two to three times the height of a person. Below, the young shoots crowded together, pushing out of the ground, making the entire hillside burst with fresh, vibrant life.
With a proud tone, Comrade Hoang Le Huy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoang Le Huy commune, introduced: "For many years, under the guidance and encouragement of the commune, the people have proactively planted and cared for bamboo shoots as a key crop in economic development. Many households proactively intercrop with cinnamon trees; when the cinnamon trees are about 5 years old and ready for harvesting, people plant bamboo shoots in between. In this way, both plants thrive."
"In particular, besides harvesting the young shoots, people can cut and sell the older plants, which are about 1.5 meters or taller, for 1,500 VND per plant. The benefits of growing bamboo shoots are very high for the people."
After saying that, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune quickly led us to witness firsthand the process of digging up bamboo shoots by the local people. Using a special tool, a small shovel about 40 cm long, the people only need 15-20 seconds to dig up a bamboo shoot.
According to locals, the spring rains are frequent at this time of year, the forest soil is moist and soft, and bamboo shoots sprout very quickly. Therefore, people often take advantage of the early morning hours to go into the forest in time to harvest them. The ideal time to dig up bamboo shoots is when the shoots emerge 10-15 cm from the ground; diggers only need to dig about 10 cm deeper to lift them all up.
During the peak season, each morning, a person can harvest from a few dozen to about 100 kilograms of bamboo shoots.
Holding in his hand the freshly dug bamboo shoots still covered in forest soil, Mr. Trieu Ton Khoa, head of Toc Cai village, shared: “Previously, people only dug up bamboo shoots in the natural forest, but in recent years, thanks to the commune's awareness campaigns, we have understood the benefits of bamboo shoots and have proactively planted and cared for them. My family, in particular, started asking for bamboo roots from households that had been growing them for a long time, and we have now propagated 1 hectare of bamboo. Before, this hillside was abandoned because the soil was poor and difficult to grow other crops, but now the bamboo shoots have started to yield a harvest, bringing a considerable income to my family.”
Like Mr. Khoa, seeing the economic benefits of bamboo shoots, Ms. Trieu Thi Pham in Toc Cai village proactively expanded and cultivated 3 hectares of bamboo shoots on her family's land.
Unable to hide her joy, Ms. Pham smiled and said, "On average, my family earns 70-80 million VND from bamboo shoots each year. Growing bamboo shoots doesn't require much care, so we can still do other work, and we harvest them when the season comes."
Having said that, Ms. Pham quickly resumed her work. On the hillsides, the sound of shovels hitting the ground continued steadily, and the sacks of bamboo shoots gradually filled with each labor.
Around 10 o'clock, the morning crowd began to return to the village, each vehicle laden with sacks of freshly harvested bamboo shoots. At the entrance to the village, traders were already waiting to buy them. The sacks of bamboo shoots were quickly weighed, sorted, and then gathered for transport to market.
According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Gia Hoi commune, every year, Gia Hoi commune also coordinates the organization of training courses to improve the skills of planting, caring for, processing, and linking the consumption of bamboo shoots for people in the area.
Furthermore, to ensure a stable market for the people, along with traders coming to purchase the produce, the commune has encouraged the establishment of two bamboo shoot cooperatives. These cooperatives are responsible for purchasing, processing, and gradually connecting with businesses to expand the market for the local bamboo shoot product.
On average, each bamboo shoot harvest can bring in tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dong for each household.
The bamboo shoot season brings joy and vitality to Gia Hoi commune, a land still facing many hardships and towering mountains. Thanks to these bamboo shoot harvests, the lives of the people have become more vibrant, helping them rise out of poverty. It is a gift from the mountains and forests, and also the sweet fruit of their hard work and diligence in building a prosperous life.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/thang-ba-mua-mang-sat-post895098.html
![[Image] Close-up view of the 10-lane road connecting to Long Thanh Airport](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/04/04/1775291871988_ndo_br_1-resize-5690-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)