Referred to as fish that is offered to kings, Bangana lemassoni raised in Mai Chau district has gained a foothold in the market over the years due to its delicious flavour. Many restaurants feature dishes from this speciality on their menus, and merchants actively seek it out. Seeing the potential, residents in several communes in the district have maintained and expanded fish farming areas, making it a key product of the locality.
A Bangana lemassoni farm in Nghe hamlet of Van Mai
commune, Mai Chau district.
Kha Van Nhi, an experienced fish farmer in Nghe hamlet of Van Mai commune, said
that his family has been farming Bangana lemassoni for nearly 15 years, with a
700 sq.m pond dedicated to commercial production. This species adapts well to
local conditions and grows robustly.
Nhi said that his family runs four ponds, harvesting every three years with
each fish weighing between 1.5 to 2 kg and priced at 230,000 to 250,000 VND
(8.8–9.6 USD) per kg depending on weight. He reserves a pond for farming in
four to five years before selling fish, with prices reaching 300,000 VND per
kg. On average, the practice
generates an annual income of 80 million to 100 million VND for his family, he
added.
Given its economic value and effectiveness, theBangana lemassoni farming
has thrived in communes such as Van Mai, Mai Hich, and Mai Ha, covering nearly
35 ha. These communes are endowed with abundance of cool and clean groundwater
flowing from rocky hills, providing ideal conditions for the practice.
To make these products more accessible to consumers in the district and other
localities, the Mai Chau district People's Committee has allocated resources
and collaborated with the Science and Technology Application Centre under the
province’s Department of Science and Technology to successfully establish the
trademark for Mai Chau Bangana lemassoni, ensuring its recognition and position
in the market.
The Mai Chau fish have received positive response from consumers. Many diners
praise the fish for its rich flavour and quality, stating that although it is
farmed, its meat is just as firm as that of wild-caught ones. A key
characteristic of the fish is its slow growth and firm texture; the longer they
are raised, the tastier the meat becomes, resulting in higher prices. Some
farmers harvest after five years, yielding fish weighing between 3.5 to 5 kg,
priced at over 350,000 VND per kg.
To maintain quality and enhance the value of the fish while expanding farming
areas, local authorities are focusing on developing it into a key commodity.
Support programmes, including concessional loans, training classes, and
experience-sharing workshops, have been implemented to help farmers boost
production.
Hoa Binh province joined Vietnam’s national "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme in 2019, not simply as a mountainous region following central policy, but with a clear vision to revive the cultural and agricultural values in its villages and crops.
From just 16 certified products in its inaugural year to 158 by early 2025, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme in Hoa Binh province has followed a steady and strategic path. But beyond the numbers, it has reawakened local heritage, turning oranges, bamboo shoots, brocade, and herbal remedies into branded, market-ready goods - and, more profoundly, transformed how local communities value and present their own cultural identity.
"Behind every One Commune One Product (OCOP)-starred product lies a quietly operating support system: technical staff, experts, trade fairs, and e-commerce platforms. OCOP cannot go far without forward-looking policy support," affirmed Nguyen Huy Nhuan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoa Binh province.
The economic landscape of Hoa Binh province continued its impressive upward trajectory through the first four months of 2025, according to a recent report from the provincial Department of Finance. The local authority has directed departments and sectors to keep close tabs on growth scenarios for each quarters and remove bottlenecks, striving to complete the set growth targets.
As part of efforts to restructure and accelerate the development of its industrial and handicraft sectors, Hoa Binh province is focusing on the development of industrial parks (IPs) and industrial clusters (ICs) with synchronous infrastructure to attract strong investment.
In recent times, Hoa Binh province has shown its determination and high sense of responsibility in seriously implementing the directives of the Party Central Committee and its Politburo and Secretariat regarding the streamlining of the political system’s organisational apparatus and the development of a two-level local administration system. The aim is to build a commune-level administration that is close to the people, attentive to their needs, and capable of quickly responding to the demands of both businesses and citizens, while also opening up new development spaces.
