(VOVworld) – Cao Phong district’s Dung Phong commune was the first in Hoa Binh province to have completed the national new rural development targets. Developing a farm economy and profitable production models for orange groves, has been key factors in improving local rural life. VOV’s Kim Thanh reports….

90% of the inhabitants of Dung Phong commune are of Muong ethnicity. The local economy has been hampered by an inhospitable terrain and climate, leading to a high poverty rate. As Dung Phong began its implementation of the national new rural development program, the communal authorities decided to restructure agricultural production by expanding its orange groves and applying advanced technology to boost productivity and quality. Thanks to 25,000 USD provided by Cao Phong district to rezone local orange groves, Dung Phong now has 60 ha of orange trees and local oranges are distributed nationwide. At Tran Van Hop’s 4000 square meter orange grove, dozens of people are collecting oranges. With an initial investment of 3500 USD, Hop and his family now earn 20,000 USD from every orange harvest. Hop told VOV: "Oranges earn us a higher income than other crops. More and more traders are coming to our commune to buy oranges. We all hope to find more stable outlets for our produce and will certainly expand our orange groves."

Cao Phong oranges have brought wealth to local people Photo: viettq.vn

Dung Phong authorities have given each household involved in the orange business hundreds of USD to upgrade their irrigation systems, buy quality seeds, and apply modern planting techniques. The communal authorities have also invested money in paving roads, connecting local households to the national grid, building national standard health clinics, and building new markets to facilitate trading activities. Nguyen Quang Vinh, a local resident who donated his land to build new roads, told VOV: "We supported the idea of every person donating land, money, or labor to expand local roads and make it easier for us to travel. We’ve seen drastic changes in Dung Phong since the national new rural development program started here. Local living conditions have improved remarkably."

Bui Van Chu is another resident of Dung Phong commune: "We are very excited that our fields have been rezoned to boost productivity. We now have more multi-storey buildings, new factories, and industrial zones."

Dung Phong commune recorded an average per capita income of 1,200 USD in 2014 and decreasing poverty rates. Dung Phong has been able to mobilize 2.2 million USD for the national new rural development program. Bui Van Sang is Chairman of the communal People’s Committee: "Recognition for having completed the criteria of the national new rural development is just the beginning of our effort. We’ll set specific tasks each year and ask the government to reconsider our recognition annually. We’ll do our best to boost local socio-economic development."

Early this year, the Ministry of Science and Technology approved a certificate recognizing the Cao Phong Orange Geographical Indication, marking a breakthrough in Hoa Binh province’s efforts to create a sustainable brand for Cao Phong oranges.