Thai Nguyen province has many policies to encourage the development of agriculture, farmers and rural areas, in which priority is given to green development models associated with value enhancement. The model of growing bamboo for bamboo shoots has been implemented in many localities in the province and has been highly appreciated by people for its effectiveness and the economic value that this new crop brings.

The MTQ Bamboo Shoots Cooperative in Trai Cau town, Dong Hy district, Thai Nguyen province has been operating since 2020 and has 7 official members.

When it was first established, the cooperative only had 3 hectares of bamboo shoots. After 4 years of operation, the total bamboo shoot growing area has increased 10 times compared to the beginning.

In addition, the cooperative also has joint ventures with a number of establishments, companies, and businesses inside and outside the province, gradually bringing products to the domestic market, while gradually exporting to the world market, escaping the small-scale farming mindset and increasing the value of agricultural products.

Mr. Man Van Tien, Director of MTQ Bamboo Shoots Cooperative, shared that before coming to the bamboo shoot growing model, he himself worked in seedling breeding and growing ginseng. However, due to ineffectiveness, he researched, explored and decided to switch to growing bamboo shoots.

Initially, he bought seeds and planted them on a trial basis on an area of ​​5,000 m2. After two years, seeing the high economic efficiency, he wanted to build a product brand in the market, so he established a cooperative. With his efforts and attempts to learn from experience, the cooperative now has more than 30 hectares of bamboo shoots grown according to VietGAP standards and has 2 products that meet 3-star OCOP standards, ensuring the standards for entering the restaurant and supermarket system.

Growing bamboo for bamboo shoots in Dong Hy district, Thai Nguyen province.

The cooperative's bamboo shoot products are diverse and rich, bringing special flavors to consumers such as fresh bamboo shoots; steamed bamboo shoots; bamboo shoot salad; sweet and sour bamboo shoots; pickled bamboo shoots with chili; dried bamboo shoots...

According to Mr. Tien's calculations, 1 hectare of bamboo shoots will yield 10 to 15 tons per year. After deducting fertilizer and labor costs, each hectare will yield 150 to 300 million VND per year.

Currently, the cooperative is purchasing bamboo shoots from local people at a price of 30,000 to 40,000 VND/kg of unpeeled bamboo shoots. Every day, the cooperative purchases about 500 to 700 kg of bamboo shoots with shells. It can be said that the model of growing bamboo shoots has contributed to creating jobs, creating stable income, improving people's living standards, and actively contributing to national target programs.

In the coming time, MTQ Bamboo Shoots Cooperative hopes that the agricultural sector as well as relevant agencies of the province will expand more bamboo planting projects for poor households and ethnic minorities in Thai Nguyen province so that people can stabilize their lives, reduce poverty, and develop the economy.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Nhu, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Hy district, said that growing bamboo for bamboo shoots is an effective way to exploit areas with little potential for cultivation, which is very suitable for localities with a high proportion of mountainous terrain like Dong Hy.

Evaluation after experimental planting in some households in Trai Cau town and Cay Thi commune shows that green bamboo shoots have the ability to create biomass quickly, are easy to create seed sources, have the ability to block wind, hold soil high, quickly promote protective effects, have few pests and diseases, and are suitable for soil conditions in the area. Currently, the area of ​​green bamboo shoots in Dong Hy district has been expanded to more than 50 hectares.

This model is highly appreciated in creating sustainable livelihoods for farmers to develop their family economy. This is also the basis for Dong Hy district to provide orientation for planning production areas, intensive farming, ensuring production, processing and consumption of bamboo shoots.

Up to now, Thai Nguyen province has developed about 85 hectares of bamboo, concentrated in Dong Hy and Phu Luong districts. Of which, more than 20 hectares have been exploited, the exploitation time has begun to increase rapidly from 2023 to present.

With the goal of developing a model of linking production, processing and consumption of bamboo shoots, forming a value chain to ensure sustainability and increase competitiveness, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Thai Nguyen province has approved the project "Linking production, processing and consumption of bamboo shoots in Thai Nguyen province" and assigned the Office of the National Target Program on New Rural Development as the management agency.

The project will be implemented from 2023 to the end of 2025 in Dong Dat commune, Phu Luong district and Tan Loi commune, Dong Hy district with a scale of 10 hectares. When participating in the project, people will receive 100% support for seedlings, technical training, packaging, product labels... and 50% support for fertilizer in the first year.

Mr. Tran Nho Huong, Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Target Program on New Rural Development in Thai Nguyen province, said that the model of growing bamboo for bamboo shoots not only brings high economic efficiency to people in mountainous rural areas but also contributes to improving soil quality and minimizing the use of chemicals.

With the “plus points” of this model, in the coming time, the Office will continue to coordinate with units and agencies to actively support farmers in expanding acreage and improving product quality. At the same time, promote the construction and registration of product labels, standardize product quality; register geographical indications, trace product origin; introduce products to domestic and foreign markets, etc.

It can be said that the model of growing bamboo for bamboo shoots in Thai Nguyen has opened up a new direction, contributing to increasing income for rural people and creating motivation for sustainable agricultural development.