Phu Dinh commune has a tea cultivation area of over 200 hectares

Identifying tea as a key crop for economic development, poverty reduction and income improvement for local residents, in recent years, Dinh Hoa district has focused on implementing policies to support people in expanding tea cultivation areas, converting crop structure and applying scientific and technological advancements to production to improve productivity, quality and value of tea products.

Visiting Phu Dinh commune these days, we easily encounter the image of tea hills blending with the green of mountains and forests. As a locality with suitable soil and climate conditions, Phu Dinh commune has a tea cultivation area of over 200 hectares and tea is affirming its position as a "poverty reduction" crop for local residents.

After traveling winding mountain roads, we arrived at Phu Thinh Agricultural Cooperative (in Phu Ninh hamlet, Phu Dinh commune). Over cups of tea, we listened to stories and aspirations of tea producers.

Tea processing area of Phu Thinh Agricultural Cooperative, Phu Ninh hamlet, Phu Dinh commune (Dinh Hoa)

Mr. Do Van Thao, Director of Phu Thinh Agricultural Cooperative, shared: "In the past, tea growers worked very hard but did not earn high incomes and people in tea-growing areas remained poor. Recognizing that Phu Dinh commune has suitable conditions for developing tea cultivation towards clean tea production, we decided to establish a cooperative and invest in building a clean tea processing factory with a focus on safety, hygiene and environmental friendliness. In 2019, the cooperative was established with 22 members and we proceeded to plant a total tea area of 10 hectares following VietGAP standards. In the beginning, many members were concerned and worried about tea growing and processing methods. However, with the support of local authorities, along with the will and determination to change the way of thinking about and producing tea, the cooperative has gradually overcome difficulties to maintain development".

Up to now, each month, the cooperative supplies the market with approximately 2 tons of dried tea buds produced according to VietGAP standards. The cooperative's revenue reaches about VND 5 billion per year, creating jobs for around 15 workers with monthly incomes ranging from VND 5-7 million per person. The year 2024 marks an important milestone as Phu Thinh Agricultural Cooperative strives to achieve the provincial 3-star OCOP certification for its tea products.

According to Mr. Thao, safe production that is environmentally friendly will maintain credibility with customers while helping stabilize raw material prices and enable local people to earn higher incomes from tea cultivation—these are the cooperative's top priorities. Therefore, in the coming time, the cooperative hopes to continue receiving support from local authorities and organizations to help it further develop products, which will not only help local people increase their income but also spread the Phu Thinh and Dinh Hoa tea brand further, expanding the market for their products.

As one of the households in production linkage with Phu Thinh Agricultural Cooperative, Mr. Do Cong Thanh, born in 1955, from Phu Ninh hamlet, Phu Dinh commune, Dinh Hoa district said: "Since joining the cooperative, my family's economy has become more stable. Previously, 1 sao (360 square meters) of tea would yield 12 kg of dried tea buds that sold for only about 100,000 VND/kg. In recent years, thanks to applying scientific techniques, tea productivity has increased to 18 kg of dried tea buds per harvest from 1 sao, with an average selling price of 250,000 VND/kg. By participating in the cooperative, member households no longer need to bring tea to the market or worry about finding buyers, as the cooperative purchases all products. As a result, the lives of tea-producing households have gradually improved and we are extremely delighted".

Many households have invested in modern machinery for tea processing

Mr. Ma Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Dinh commune, shared: "In the past, people mainly grew midland tea varieties, resulting in low productivity and economic value. Since 2005, the district has implemented a policy of converting tea plant varieties, encouraging people to replace midland tea with new varieties that offer higher productivity and quality. Many families have boldly applied these new tea varieties and combined them with scientific and technological advancements in tea production and processing. Previously, tea production relied mainly on manual methods, but currently, 100% of tea-producing households in the craft village use modern equipment such as rotating drums, stainless steel tea kneading machines and many households have invested in rotary valve irrigation systems, gas-powered tea roasting machines, vacuum packaging machines...

In particular, thanks to support policies such as: Building safe tea production models according to VietGAP standards, developing traditional craft villages, organizing training courses and technical transfer workshops for tea planting, care and processing, along with support for transferring advanced machinery applications, the productivity, quality and value of tea products in recent years have improved significantly.

Saying goodbye to Mr. Thao, we all hope that his wishes will soon become reality, so that tea, the key agricultural crop of Phu Dinh commune in particular and Dinh Hoa district in general, can truly help people escape poverty and gradually move towards prosperity