Bamboo and rattan weaving profession is in danger of disappearing.

(Baonghean)Returning to Nghi Thai (Nghi Loc) today, I cannot help but feel disappointed because the commune has 10 bamboo and rattan weaving villages and 1 village with the craft now has few weavers... The prosperous time of Nghi Thai MTĐ, now only remains in the regret of the craft villagers...

The people of Nghi Thai MTD craft village were once proud of their profession of “saving hunger and poverty” for poor farmers, when the income from the profession was attractive, people were enthusiastic about production, and every household competed to create many products for businesses. Now, the source of raw materials is lacking, production wages are too low to ensure a living standard, many workers have retired, turning to find other jobs with higher incomes such as: carpentry, construction, animal husbandry or small business...

Having quit the MTD profession for more than 2 years now, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai in Thai Tho hamlet still has not stopped regretting the traditional profession that his family has been doing for more than 50 years. He confided: “Before 2010, my family was famous for this profession throughout this commune. The family had 5 workers working day and night. Each time we imported 2-3 tons of raw materials, once a week we imported goods (100 products), people and vehicles were coming and going busily. Before 2010, my family's income was 80,000 VND/person/day. Now we are actively producing like that but we only earn 40-50 thousand VND/person/day.” I asked if the income was guaranteed, would his family return to MTD? Mr. Hai's face lit up: "Yes, I still miss my job very much! To make a living, I have to carefully calculate and change my career. My children are still teaching jobs to workers in Quynh Luu and Yen Thanh districts..."



Bamboo and rattan production in Nghi Thai (Nghi Loc).

Coming to Ms. Truong Thi Hien's house in Thai Phuc hamlet, I saw a few unfinished weaving products in the corner of the house. Ms. Hien said: Working in MTĐ now has a very low income, I have to do many other jobs, if I only specialize in MTĐ, it is not enough to eat. The price of raw materials has increased, the output of products has not increased significantly, the producers are facing many difficulties. Before 2010, the price of raw materials for dried bamboo was 15,000 - 17,000 VND/10 kg, now the price is 35,000 VND/10 kg, but the bamboo is fresh and thicker, not dry and thin like before. If we are lucky enough to find beautiful bamboo, the production can still earn 40 - 50 thousand VND/day, sometimes we receive many bundles that are dark and the bamboo is not white, it is considered as free labor, even losing money on raw materials. The requirements for product quality are increasingly strict, while the designs change constantly; Many households have to wait all day to bring goods to import and then have to bring them back because they cannot meet the requirements of the business, making them discouraged and not wanting to do the job. In addition, many new entrants to the profession have no experience and are still making losses. In previous years, about 60% of households in the village were engaged in the MTD profession, but now there are less than 10%. We are worried that at this rate, the MTD profession will find it difficult to survive.

Mr. Doan Huu Sam (Thai Tho hamlet) is both a craftsman and an intermediary who specializes in collecting goods from craft villages to import for businesses. After more than 20 years of working with MTĐ, his love for the rustic products he makes himself unable to quit the job. However, he feels sorry for the cheap labor. Diligently and carefully weaving each bamboo thread, polishing each weaving step to complete a product, is not only a labor but also requires the talent of the craftsman, but the value is too low. Currently, Mr. Sam is weaving a new product model "clothing basket" according to the order of the business for export to the German market.

Mr. Sam shared: “I don’t want to do it anymore because the other day I heard that the company only buys for more than 50,000 VND/product. To weave a complete “clothes basket” product, a skilled worker like me has to work continuously for a day and a half (from the stage of splitting bamboo). The company buys at a minimum price of 80,000 VND/product, after deducting expenses, the producer only has an income of 40,000 VND/day. But buying 50,000 VND/product, people only get 20,000 VND/day. How can people live like that?”

The MTĐ craft is fading in the minds of craftsmen. Of the 10 MTĐ craft villages in Nghi Thai commune, currently, Thai Tho and Thai Loc are relatively stable, while the other villages are all experiencing a sharp decline in craft workers. Mr. Sam recalls the years 2003 - 2005, when a set of 3 products cost 12,000 VND, but on average each week he imported goods for the entire Thai Tho craft village, he earned 20 million VND. Currently, the same set of products costs about 45,000 VND/set, 3.5 times higher, but the total weekly value of the entire craft village's goods is only 10 - 15 million VND. Due to the sharp decline in craft workers, the number of products made is only 1/3 compared to previous years.

Talking to us, Mr. Vuong Dinh Duong - Nghi Thai commune's industrial promotion officer, said: Before 2009, the whole commune had more than 1,400 workers with 713 households working in MTD, the income from the profession reached about 12 billion VND/year. By 2012, there were only 837 workers working in MTD with 428 households producing, the income reached 8 billion VND. The sharp decline in the labor force is a concern for the local government as well as the craft villages. The commune leaders are focusing on encouraging people to continue implementing Resolution 06 of the province, actively producing, maintaining and developing traditional craft villages to keep the profession alive. As for businesses, there must be solutions to stimulate production, buy goods at satisfactory prices for workers. When people see that the income from the profession is guaranteed, they will stimulate production again.

There is no solution to overcome the difficulties, the risk of losing the export MTD profession in craft villages is evident.

Quynh Lan