Direction for Quang Phong carpentry village?

(Baonghean) - Carpentry has been associated with the people of the forest product processing blocks 1, 2, 3, Quang Phong ward, Thai Hoa town for decades. The production value of the profession helps people increase their income and stabilize their lives. However, in order for the carpentry profession in Quang Phong ward to develop stably and stand firm in the market, there are still many difficulties that need to be solved.

Veteran Tran Ngoc Son operates a wood carving machine.

The Son Nguyet civil carpentry and fine art production facility of veteran Tran Ngoc Son's family is one of the largest in the region. After more than 30 years of working in the profession, from a small-scale production facility, he now has a place to display products at the forest product processing block 3 and a production workshop located in Nghia Son block, Quang Phong ward on an area of ​​2,000 square meters. The facility's products include tables, chairs, beds, cabinets, etc. Mr. Tran Ngoc Son said: "Currently, the civil carpentry and fine art profession is facing great competition from craft villages in the northern provinces. Therefore, I took the initiative to go to the North to visit, learn from experience and send my son there to learn new techniques, especially the technique of using wood carving machines. After that, I invested in buying two machines to put into production." The application of technology to the craft has helped his establishment's wooden products become more sophisticated, and labor productivity is higher, thereby contributing to reducing product costs and thus competing with household wooden products from craft villages in the North. Currently, his establishment is providing regular jobs for 25 workers with an average income of 5 - 8 million VND/person/month.

However, not all carpentry production facilities in Quang Phong are as responsive and have investment for development as the facility of veteran Tran Ngoc Son. Because currently, on a general level, the civil and fine art carpentry in Quang Phong ward has significantly declined compared to more than 10 years ago. The Forest Products Processing Fine Art Carpentry Village was recognized as a Craft Village by the People's Committee of Nghe An province on December 30, 2002, with production and business activities mainly including the following items: tables, chairs, cabinets, beds, civil carpentry with about 186 households participating in the profession. When it was first established, the craft village had a civil carpentry cooperative with the function of being a springboard for the village's activities. But up to now, because the products are difficult to sell, cannot compete with products from other places, and the purchase of input wood materials is increasingly difficult, many households have given up the profession.

In 2014, there were only 67 households working with about 143 workers (including 10 households producing high-quality fine art wood), skilled workers accounted for about 10%. The civil carpentry cooperative was also no longer active due to the lack of participation of its members, and was dissolved in 2007. In December 2014, households joined together to establish the Quang Phong craft village trade and service cooperative with 13 participating households. Discussing solutions for sustainable development of craft villages, veteran Tran Ngoc Son said: “First of all, we propose that all levels support leasing of premises so that craft households can build concentrated facilities and have peace of mind for long-term stable production. Because currently, most of the facilities produce in their own gardens, causing pollution. In addition, we need to support craftspeople to go on tours and learn about techniques, technology, new designs of household and handicraft wooden products, as well as create conditions for access to capital to invest in high technology to serve production development.”

Agreeing with the above opinions, Mr. Le Trung Dung, Vice Chairman of Quang Phong Ward said: “Despite the decline, the craft village has an important position in the economic development of the locality. In 2014, the value of carpentry production reached about 15,200 million VND. Therefore, if the above problems and difficulties are promptly resolved, the civil and fine art carpentry will continue to develop more strongly, contributing significantly to the development of the locality. Currently, we have reported on the difficulties in developing the craft village to the Town for solutions.”

Thanh Duy