Con Cuong district in the central province of Nghe An has available raw materials to develop rattan and bamboo craft villages. The district is home to 153 Thai and Dan Lai ethnic households and the famous bamboo and rattan craft village of Diem.

Weaving has been around since ancient times and is a traditional profession of the Thai people here. In the past, local people mainly woven items to serve daily activities such as baskets, fans, rattan trays… They brought surplus products to the market to sell and exchange for other necessities. In general, the benefits gained from weaving bamboo and rattan products were insignificant.

In 2014, with the support of VIE 028 projects, Oxfam Hong Kong project, VIRI project on developing rural industries in Vietnam, the Diem Village Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative was established with 22 members, mainly elderly people and women, opening up a potential direction for economic development.

In 2017, with the help of the Industry Research Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, for the first time, Diem Village Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative exported 3 shipments to Germany. In 2018, the US Embassy in Vietnam also began to learn and develop a plan to help the cooperative sell its products, thereby creating a stable market.

From the skillful hands of artisans, woven products of Diem village have gradually affirmed their position in the market. With many diverse designs and high quality, Diem village’s handicraft products have gradually affirmed their brand and become known to many consumers.

The cooperative has continuously changed to adapt to market requirements. In terms of quality, it always ensures standards from the stage of selecting and processing raw materials, knitting techniques, to product finishing stages, decoration... at the highest level.

It also uses modern machinery and technology to create products that are beautiful, durable, and safe. For example, in the process of bleaching raw materials, the cooperative uses modern steaming technology to replace chemicals to create quality products, ensuring dual health safety for workers and users.

Regarding designs, the cooperative continuously researches and releases new products. Thanks to that, from the production of simple household products, Diem village rattan and bamboo cooperative has produced souvenirs and decorative products to serve tourists.

Cooperative members take advantage of natural materials available in the forest to create natural colors to dye rattan and bamboo products, creating colorful patterns on products such as fruit plates, rice trays, tea trays... The products attract customers while still remaining safe and environmentally friendly. Depending on the difficulty and complexity of the product, on average, in 2 - 3 days a worker can complete a bamboo and rattan utensil priced 200,000 – 300,000 VND.

Currently, the Diem rattan and bamboo craft village has 52 households with 54 people making rattan and bamboo products. Ms. Vy Thi Noi, 73, is one of the most skilled craftsmen in the village.

Although Diem village rattan and bamboo cooperative is still small, its products have good sales, attracting many potential customers. It has become one of the outstanding models in the "Plan to build a new cooperative model associated with the value chain" of the Cooperative Alliance of Nghe An province.

According to the Con Cuong District People's Committee, the cooperative’s products are sold very well, attracting many potential customers. In the coming time, local authorities will create favorable conditions for small and medium-sized establishments to borrow capital, assist local people to expand domestic and foreign markets. The district plans to establish other craft villages to seek opportunities from bamboo and rattan associations to expand markets for local people.

PV