(Baonghean.vn) -As the summer sun begins to shine brightly, the people of Hung Hoa commune, Vinh City (Nghe An province) are busy with the first sedge harvest of the year.
 |
| Hung Hoa commune has a total of 65 hectares of land for growing sedge, with 600 households engaged in this traditional craft, mainly concentrated in the two villages of Phong Hao and Phong Thuan. |
 |
| Sedge is harvested three times a year, in late March, early April, June, and October (lunar calendar). This is the peak harvest season for the people of Hung Hoa. |
 |
| After cutting the reeds, people have to shake off the weeds and debris and separate the shorter reeds. |
 |
| Next, splitting the reeds requires two people. This is a rather time-consuming and laborious step, because if the reeds are not split in time and wilt, they will be very difficult to split. |
 |
| Mr. Chu Van Be (56 years old, Phong Hao hamlet) said: “Growing sedge and weaving mats is a traditional occupation of my family. With 3 hectares of sedge cultivation, we harvest more than 7 tons each year. Sedge has helped improve our lives and become the main source of income for our family.” |
 |
| After being split, the sedge is dried in the sun for three days in the field to make the fibers lighter and softer. Then, the sedge is tied into bundles and brought home to be sorted, dried, and sold to manufacturing facilities. |
 |
| After drying, the sedge is purchased by traders in Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh provinces at a price of 6,500 VND per kilogram. |
 |
| Because they cultivate sedge, the people of Hung Hoa have a long-standing tradition of mat weaving. Through the skillful hands of the people of Hung Hoa, these sedge plants have been transformed into beautiful, branded mats. |
Nguyen Giang, Vuong Van
