Improving capacity and quality

Previously, food production such as rice noodle, vermicelli and cakes greatly depended on weather. The production was disrupted when it rained, which dramatically affected productivity and product quality.

Thanks to application of modern machines, Bai Oi carpentry village produces unique exquisite products.

These limitations have been surmounted now thanks to scientific and technological solutions. Many trade villages have brought drying systems into use to yield products even in bad weather.

The traditional trade village in Thu Duong hamlet, Nam Duong commune, Chu township is home to nearly 200 rice noodle production facilities. In recent weeks, many rice making facilities here still produce qualified products despite rainy weather with high humidity.

Particularly, Hien Phuoc Chu rice noodle production and trade cooperative was supported 100 million VND (3,897 USD) from state budget, then they spent over 3 billion VND (116,900 USD) to equip boiler and electric dryer to produce noodle.

Thus, the cooperative has increased capacity and product quality while lowering costs compared to hiring laborers.

“The new production line yields a productivity 10 times higher than the old manual method. We supply about 60 tonnes of rice noodle per month to Russian market, domestic supermarket and distribution networks. The products are sold out right after production”, said Hoang Thi Thu Hien, the Cooperative Director.

There are 150 household doing carpentry work at the craft village in Bai Oi, Dinh Tri ward, Bac Giang city. Many of whom made big investment to buy modern machines to create unique exquisite products.

The wood products are various with chairs, tables, cabinets, incense tables and furniture for architectural works, offices and old-style houses.

“The use of CNC wood carving machines yields a productivity equal to that of 5 manual workers. Moreover, the products are more precise, beautiful and delicate”, said Quyen.

Technology support

Bac Giang currently has 22 craft villages and traditional ones recognised by the provincial People’s Committee. The craft villages operate in 3 main groups including processing and preserving agricultural, forestry and fishery products, making wood, bamboo rattan and brocade weaving products and bonsai cultivation and trading. The craft villages create stable jobs and income for a number of rural residents.

According to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, it allocated 13.3 billion VND (518,255 USD) from state budget to support businesses and cooperatives to build technical performance models, transfer technology and apply modern machinery and advanced science and technology into production in line with establishing trademark.

As a results, craft villages have enhanced productivity and product quality, effectively utilised natural resources, materials and power while reducing environment pollution and increasing labour capacity by 15 to 30 percent.

Some outstanding trade villages in changing production methods from manual work to use of modern production lines and machines include Thu Duong rice noodle village, Tho Ha rice paper making village in Van Ha commune, Viet Yen township, banh da Ke village, Da Mai vermicelli village, Bai Oi and Dong Thuong carpentry villages in Bac Giang city.

In coming time, competent agencies will continue to build models of technical performance, technology transfer and application of modern machinery, advanced science and technology to help reduce weather dependence and increase product values.

Besides, they will provide support to purchase machines, equipment, production lines and materials for the projects preserving and developing craft villages.

They will also pay attention to providing training and retraining to improve professional skills, labour hygiene and safety and basic information technology knowledge.