Transform fields and gardens into tourist attractions: Farmers benefit from both ways
Synchronous investment
Starting from scattered and small scale traditional flower villages, Hoanh Bo District now has its own specialized area for flower farming with numerous associated producers, farmers’ cooperative groups, and many other flower farms possessed by enterprises. Production techniques there took the same path, everything went from traditional way to modern, hi-tech-driven one. Production zones are invested synchronously from greenhouses, ventilation systems, temperature control systems to electric devices, irrigation filters, etc.
Farmers in Quang Long tea region (Hai Ha District) grow tea under VietGAP process. Photo by N.Q. |
For example, Tin Phat Flower Farm has set up several sensors to record indexes of humidity, soil, temperature, plants’ nutrient needs; or Agri-tech Development JSC has applied in vitro method derived from flower stalk, and so on.
As a result, the area of flower farming in Hoanh Bo keeps growing from 30 ha (2010) to over 80 ha. Every year, Hoanh Bo delivers 20 million flowers to the market, covering 80% of flower demand of people in the district and Ha Long City.
Having the advantage of beautiful flowers, in the beginning of 2016, Tinh Hoa Green Agrochemical Cooperative put a project of eco-tourism complex named “Quang La Flower Paradise” into operation. The complex is located on a 25-ha lot, comprises of fruit trees integrated with under-tree herbs, multicolor flower field, herb processing facility, etc. With these unique features, Quang La Flower Paradise has quickly put itself on Hoanh Bo tourism map. It is also attempting to become a totally natural and safe educational environment as well as a recreational space for kids and families.
2017 marked the first time Hoanh Bo District organized spring flower festival. The event was reported to attract 10,000 visitors. Seeing its good reception, Hoanh Bo came to the decision that made the spring flower festival annual with the scale getting bigger and bigger over the years. And for 2018, not just stopping at an ordinary festival, Hoanh Bo District also organized product introduction and consumption activities for nearly 20 local produce that were OCOP (One Commune, One Product) products. As a result, this year’s festival attracted almost 20,000 visitors.
These activities honor not only Hoanh Bo’s flowers, but also other farm products in the region, as well as boosting local tourism, laying the foundation for increasing value of production area, improving income for farmers and enterprises.
Several hi-tech production zones are set up
At this point in time, hi-tech agricultural production is basically formed in some areas in Quang Ninh Province, such as Hong Thai Tay (Dong Trieu Town); Hoanh Bo flower planting area, commercial shrimp farming of BIM Group, breeding and commercial shrimp farming complex of Viet Uc Group in Dam Ha District; tea model in Hai Ha District; custard-apple, lychee model in Dong Trieu Town, Uong Bi City following VietGAP, etc.
According to Pham Ngoc Thuy, Director of Quang Ninh Tourism Department, hi-tech agricultural models are more and more developing in quality, rich in scientific content in each product, eco-friendly oriented, helping form safe and good-quality production areas. Thus, it is possible to say they are potentially attractive destinations for consumers as well as visitors.
Farm products in these areas are both commodities and souvenirs, a type of tourism resources. This is the base for hi-tech agricultural production models to closely integrate with tourism and services, improve the value of cultivation area from farming, services and tourism.