Tien Yen develops organic cinnamon growing areas.

Tien Yen district currently has 43,000 hectares of forest land, of which 1,000 hectares are planted with cinnamon trees. This is a crop with significant economic value for forest-planting households in the area. To achieve the goal of sustainable forestry development linked to increasing income for rural residents, Tien Yen district has been implementing and encouraging people to maintain and expand organic cinnamon cultivation areas through product linkages to create stable income.

Dai Duc is a mountainous commune in Tien Yen district with a total area of 46.29 km2, home to 7 ethnic groups, the most numerous being the San Chi ethnic group at 83.3%. Compared to many other communes in the district, the production conditions here are quite difficult due to the sloping terrain. Therefore, forestry remains a strength of Dai Duc commune in economic development. The commune has 3,739.2 hectares of planted forest, mainly pine, acacia, and cinnamon. Cinnamon trees require a planting cycle of 12 years or more before harvesting, compared to acacia trees which require 2 cycles. However, cinnamon trees have a higher value and do not degrade the forest soil, so in recent years, the people in the commune have switched from planting acacia to planting cinnamon.

The total area planted with cinnamon in Tien Yen district is up to 1,000 hectares. — People in Dai Duc commune, Tien Yen district, cultivate organic cinnamon.

Mr. Hoang Viet Tung, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Dai Duc commune, said: "In Dai Duc commune, besides focusing on planting pine trees for resin, cinnamon is also a crop that the people in the area are developing strongly. The people in the commune have focused on expanding the area of cinnamon cultivation, and in the last 3 years, there have been areas of organic cinnamon cultivation linked with businesses to increase income."

Dai Duc commune currently has 600 hectares of cinnamon plantations, of which nearly 150 hectares are organically grown and 10 hectares have been granted planting area codes. Dai Duc commune also aims to plant an additional 50 hectares of cinnamon each year in the future to contribute to increasing the income of the local people.

Mr. Sằn A Phật (Khe Lặc village, Đại Dực commune) shared: "My family has been growing cinnamon for many years, but for the past four years we have been growing and caring for it organically. Growing cinnamon trees is relatively simple, doesn't require much effort in fertilizing, and provides a good income. Especially since 2022, the district has partnered with Sơn Hà Hương Vị Company to guarantee the purchase of our produce, so we feel very secure and don't have to look for markets, and our income is also higher."

Traders come directly to the villages to buy cinnamon from the local people.

Tien Yen district currently has 1,000 hectares of cinnamon plantations, concentrated in the communes of Dai Duc, Yen Than, Phong Du, Dong Ngu, and Hai Lang. Since 2022, Tien Yen district has implemented a program in collaboration with Son Ha Huong Vi Company to supply cinnamon raw materials for export to the European market. Through this program, the company has also coordinated with 41 households in Dai Duc commune to cultivate 150 hectares of organic cinnamon, which is assessed annually by relevant authorities for quality.

Representatives from Son Ha Huong Vi Company conducted direct purchasing transactions with organic cinnamon growers in Dai Duc commune.

Ms. Do Thi Duyen, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Tien Yen district, said: In 2023, the cinnamon harvest in the district reached 400 tons. However, this year, due to the impact of typhoon No. 3, nearly 400 hectares of cinnamon trees in Tien Yen district were damaged, so the expected cinnamon harvest will decrease significantly. Currently, taking advantage of the sunny weather, cinnamon growers in the area are actively clearing up the damaged cinnamon trees to salvage what they can, and are immediately starting the year-end cinnamon harvest and preparing to start planting forests in the spring of 2025.

Implementing the Tien Yen District Sustainable Forest Development Project until 2025, with a vision to 2030, the district is focusing on promoting the forestry economy, with cinnamon being the main tree species in the district's forestry sector. In the coming period, Tien Yen district will continue to promote and encourage people to expand the area of organic cinnamon cultivation in partnership with Son Ha Huong Vi Company. This will contribute to increasing cinnamon production and enhancing the value of forest planting for the district's people.

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