Cơ Tu ethnic’s farm produce debuts in supermarket system

Farm produce from the Cơ Tu ethnic group in Quảng Nam Province is on sale at the Mena Gourmet Market in HCM City. Photo courtesy of Đình Thắng

QUẢNG NAM — Organic farm produce from the Cơ Tu ethnic group in the central province’s Tr’hy commune has been introduced at the Mena Gourmet Market in HCM City - the first time such products have gone on sale.

It marks a positive move for the community-based sustainable agriculture production process, carried out by the community in Tây Giang district.

A source from Mena Gourmet Market said various farm products including black chicken, wax gourds, pumpkins, wild banana flowers and tea vines, that had been grown without using chemicals, by the farmers, were on the shelves.

It’s the first time products from Cơ Tu people have been on sale at a supermarket in HCM City, after a trilateral agreement was inked between the Đà Nẵng City’s Hotels Association, the Việt Farm company and Mena Gourmet Market.

The agreement will help develop a well-managed organic farming area on 10ha in the mountainous commune, supplying authentic spices, herbs and regional specialties to members of Đà Nẵng Hotels Association in Hội An, Đà Nẵng and the super market in HCM City.

Chief Operations Officer of Menas Vietnam, representing Mena Gourmet Market, Nguyễn Ngọc Quý, said that the partnership represents a strong commitment of the market in supporting the community with sustainable farming.

“We aim to encourage sustainable lifestyles and promote Vietnamese cuisine by offering sale of safe farm produce and OCOP (One Commune One Product) items at Mena Gourmet Market,” Quý said,

“The supply chain initiative speeds up an opportunity to introduce green, clean and safe OCOP products to consumers while enhancing living standards and creating stable livelihoods for ethnic communities in remote areas.”

An organic farm in Tr'hy commune of Cơ Tu ethnic group in Quảng Nam Province. Photo courtesy of Đình Thắng

Chairman of the Đà Nẵng City’s Hotel Association, Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh said the organic farm produce partnership agreement would help promote the cultural and agricultural values of ethnic groups, while contributing to the preservation and development of Việt Nam's distinctive culinary heritage.

He said the association and partners are committed to maintain long-term business-farmer sustainable links, increasing the sale of organic farm produce and creating a ‘green’ consumption ecosystem.

Farm produce of Cơ Tu ethnic group from Quảng Nam is now on sale alongside another 12,000 farm products distributed by 2,000 farmers from Việt Nam, the US, New Zealand and other countries at Menas Mall Saigon Airport, HCM City.

Tr’hy commune, on the border with Laos, is home to 1,500 people, of which 202 are poor families (51 per cent). Most families earn their living from farm produce and medicinal herbs from the forest.