(HBO) - "Camel bird" is another name for an ostrich type that Phan Sy Hai and his wife Le Hai Yen raised in their farm at My village, Yen Mong commune, Hoa Binh city. Though they both have their own job, the couple took to raising this ostrich species in the hope of improving their income.
The ostrich farm of
Le Hai Yen and her husband in My village, Yen Mong commune, Hoa Binh city
generates a stable income of 100 – 150 million VND per year
In 2012, Yen’s
family bought six ostriches weighing 5-7kg each at 2 million VND each. They
then had to give up keeping the animals as they did not have enough land while
their children were young at the time. Three years later, the couple spent over
30 million VND to lease a 1,000 sq.m land plot and raised 30 ostriches. Seeing
that the birds grew well, required little care while adapting well to weather
conditions and resisting to diseases, Yen and her husband gradually increased
the flock to 60-100 heads, or even
200 in peak time. Currently, the farm has 120 birds
for meat and six for egg laying.
Yen said: "My family
raises ostriches mainly for meat and egg for sale. Female ostrich can lay eggs
when they reach 18-20 months old, but due to the lack of incubators and technique,
we now cannot hatch eggs to sell young birds. Therefore, we mainly raise the
bird for meat.” Yen now sells ostrich meat to local restaurants and at Nghia
Phuong and Tan Thanh markets. The prices of ostrich meat range from 100,000 –
250,000 VND per kg, 80-85,000 VND per kg for live bird and 250,000 – 280,000
VND per kg of ostrich meat pie. Each week, she sells two ostriches on Saturday
and Sunday or more when consumers place order. During peak time such as New
Year holiday or festivals, her farm sells four ostriches per day. With
affordable prices and fresh quality, the meat is becoming popular.
Yen stressed that
ostrich meat is organic, adding: "We feed the birds grass, water morning glory
and water-fern. During the raising process, the feed must be mixed in correct
ratio. When the birds are young, they should be fed with chicken feed, and when
they are bigger, we use grass and maize powder. While cleaning the farm, all
sharp, pointed and hard items must be removed to prevent the birds from eating them.
I buy young birds during January – June, around 100 heads each time”.
Yen and her husband
learnt how to raise ostriches from sellers or on the Internet. At the outset,
they met a lot of difficulties. Yen said: "Apart from limited capital, a lack
of experience worried us most. During transportation, many birds died along the
way. Little ones died due to weak resistance to diseases while bigger ones died
trampling upon each other. One time, I bought 12 ostriches but half of them
died on the way”. Learning from such experience, she transported the young
birds in small quantity at night in cool weather. The farm now earns her family a stable income
of 100 – 150 million VND a year, contributing to improving their livelihood./.
Maximizing local potential and advantages, Yen Tri commune in Yen Thuy district is actively promoting the cultivation of medicinal herbs and turning medicinal herbs into One Commune - One Product (OCOP) products.
Situated at the gateway to the Northwest, Hoa Binh province has a population of over 900,000, including about 540,000 of working age. It is home to 6,000 businesses and production facilities, providing employment for over 100,000 workers. The remaining workforce is engaged in informal jobs, works in enterprises outside the province, or contributes to agro-forestry-fisheries. Additionally, around 3,000 workers are employed abroad.
The Hoa Binh provincial People's Committee has issued Decision No. 2767/QD-UBND announcing the rankings of departments, agencies, districts and Hoa Binh city in the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) in 2024.
The cultivation of Dam Xanh fish (Bangana lemassoni), a unique fish species, has seen remarkable growth in Mai Chau district, thanks to its high economic value and effectiveness. Initially concentrated in Van Mai commune, farming has now extended to four other communes, namely Mai Hich, Mai Ha, Chieng Chau, and Son Thuy. These areas benefit from pristine underground water flowing from mountain crevices, providing ideal conditions for raising this specialty fish.
In 2024, the total state budget revenue of Hoa Binh Province is estimated at approximately VND 6,930 billion, achieving 183% of the Government’s target, 126% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Council, and 145% compared to the same period last year.
In 2024, Hoa Binh province has shown signs of improvement in attracting investment and developing enterprises.
