Bùi Văn Tường at a seedling nursery in the Production and Business Cooperative 0789 in Tân Lạc District, in the northern mountainous province of Hòa Bình. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

HÒA BÌNH — Bùi Văn Tường, of Sung Hamlet, Thanh Hối Commune, Tân Lạc District, in the northern mountainous province of Hòa Bình, returned to his hometown with the dream of entrepreneurship, aiming for wealth after graduating from the Forestry University in 2013.

The minimal initial capital he had, supported by his parents, served as motivation for him to start building the "Seedling Nursery" model with various fruit trees and forestry trees.

In the early days, the seedling nursery model encountered many difficulties due to pests, weather conditions, and unsuitable soil fertility.

However, with determination, eagerness to learn, and continuous efforts along with the encouragement and support from the local authorities and his family, Tường's seedling nursery model gradually stabilised.

Between 2014 and 2017, he carried out grafting and propagation of various forestry and valuable fruit trees such as grafted Michelia tonkinensis, jackfruits, red pomelos and green-skinned pomelos.

Among these, he mainly focused on grafting Michelia tonkinensis for their high productivity, selling in districts within the province and in northern provinces of Bắc Giang, Hưng Yên, Lào Cai, Yên Bái and Sơn La.

In 2018, with the achievements from the "Seedling Nursery" model, he then joined the Tân Lạc Sơn Cooperative and became deputy director of the cooperative.

During the process of establishing the model, he noticed that many local farmers' products lacked stable markets, with low and unstable prices.

He boldly gathered members to establish the Production and Business Cooperative 0789 with the desire to ensure a stable market for agricultural products, creating jobs for youth and locals in the commune.

According to Tường said, on average, the cooperative now supplies hundreds of thousands of seedlings to the market each year, mainly native trees such as Canarium tramdeum, Canarium album and Michelia tonkinensis.

The selling price for native trees is around VNĐ5,000-6,000 (19-20 cents) each, while grafted trees cost VNĐ30,000-40,000 ($1.1-1.5) each.

All seedlings have documented origins and sources, earning the trust of the customers.

“The cooperative is the pioneering and largest establishment in the district, supplying seedlings to the provincial market and many northern and Central Highlands provinces," he said.

With a total cultivation area of about nine hectares, the cooperative sells two million trees per year, including various forestry trees such as Michelia tonkinensis, Canarium tramdeum, Canarium album, jackfruits, Acacia trees and peaches, along with other fruit trees.

Additionally, the cooperative has been producing various food products, rich in regional culinary culture such as salt with Michelia tonkinensis seeds, Melaleuca oil, soaked fruits of Canarium tramdeum, Canarium album and Michelia tonkinensis seeds.

Creating jobs for local people

Local workers at a seedling nursery in the Production and Business Cooperative 0789. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

With annual revenue of over VNĐ2 billion ($78,750), the cooperative has provided stable employment for local people.

Bùi Thị Thương, of Quê Bái Hamlet, Đông Lai Commune, said that she began working as a seedling care worker at the cooperative in 2020.

She felt secure because she could work near her home and gradually earned a stable income.

She and other long-term workers had been enrolled in social insurance by the cooperative, strengthening their commitment to their work, she added.

In 2022, the cooperative expanded by opening an agricultural service store, specialising in supplying fertilisers, plant protection products and agricultural supplies in Đông Lai Commune.

Additionally, they began cultivating medicinal plants on a five-hectare scale in Ngổ Luông Commune.

Currently, the cooperative has created employment for over 20 workers with salaries of VNĐ3-5 million ($118-197) for each person per month.

Bùi Đức Hiển, head of the district’s Agriculture and Rural Development Office, said that under the management of Tường, the cooperative had gradually asserted its role as a leading unit in supplying seedlings, fruit trees and forestry trees in the district, creating stable employment and income for local labourers, contributing to the construction of the prosperous and beautiful homeland of Tân Lạc.

Helping others

Cường is also an active and enthusiastic member of the local Youth Union.

He is always willing to help fellow members and local youth in the province in overcoming poverty.

Furthermore, he hosted training sessions and provided technical guidance on planting and caring for various trees, organised by the provincial Youth Union.

Alongside this, the cooperative has established the "Youth’s Seedling Nursery" model, meeting the standards as one of the three exemplary seedling nurseries in the province.

Hà Duy Thăng, chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hối Commune, said that from 2021 until now, the cooperative supported the planting of 5,000 various trees for the Youth union, Farmers' Union, and Women's Association to build models such as youth’s trees, youth’s seedling nursery, women's blossoming road, and clean and beautiful farmers' union road.

With outstanding achievements in the youth movement for developing the economy and actively participating in social work at the grassroots level, Tường was awarded a Certificate of Merit by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính in 2023.

He was also one of the 43 outstanding "Young farmers" recognised for outstanding achievements in business, entrepreneurship and production, awarded the 18th Lương Đình Của Prize in 2023 by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union’s Central Committee. —VNS