Sugarcane syrup village during Tet season

(Baonghean.vn) - For more than a week now, the molasses ovens in Gang village, Nghia Hung commune, Nghia Dan district, which produce the famously delicious molasses from sugarcane, have been burning brightly to serve consumers during the Tet holiday.

The molasses distillation facilities in Nghia Hung have been operating for over a week now.

The village of Găng in Nghĩa Hưng commune has a long-standing tradition of making sugarcane molasses, and has been recognized as a traditional craft village by the Provincial People's Committee. The molasses here is famous not only for its smooth, thick, fragrant, and beautiful golden color, but also because the villagers know how to maintain and develop this traditional craft to prosper.

Mr. Cao Xuan Khuong is one of those who have become wealthy from a traditional craft of his hometown. Currently, with over 30 years in this profession, every year in the 11th lunar month, his family is busy harvesting sugarcane to make molasses. On average, his family presses more than 8 tons of sugarcane per day, and all 6 molasses vats operate at full capacity to serve customers during Tet (Lunar New Year).

The households filter the honey three times to ensure it is clear and clean.

Mr. Cao Xuan Khuong added: "For sugarcane syrup to be delicious, all stages must be done very carefully, from selecting the sugarcane variety for planting, caring for the sugarcane to prevent pests and diseases, ensuring the sugarcane ripens at the right time, then pressing the sugarcane with a machine, and filtering it three times to obtain clear, clean sugarcane juice."

The next step is boiling the honey. While boiling, the worker must constantly monitor the fire in the furnace. The fire shouldn't be too big, otherwise the honey will overflow and burn, turning black and unappetizing. If the fire is too small, it will take too long. Once the honey boils and settles, the foam is skimmed off and the mixture settles. The honey should be smooth, thick, fragrant, and have a golden-brown color to ensure quality.”

Many families in Nghia Hung still make peanut candy as a traditional craft.

Currently, in Nghia Hung commune, there are dozens of households producing sugarcane molasses and making candy to develop their family economy. Mr. Phan Phuc Vinh - Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Hung commune, Nghia Dan district, said: "Since being recognized as a traditional craft village by the Provincial People's Committee, Lang Gang sugarcane molasses has become more widely known. During the season, traders often come directly to the village to place orders. The income from this production has created jobs and stabilized the lives of the households, helping them to prosper in their homeland." Currently, many families in Nghia Hung commune, in addition to making molasses, also utilize sugarcane molasses as a raw material to produce other products such as rock sugar, brown sugar, and peanut candy.

In Nghia Hung, households also produce peanut candy using the sugarcane molasses they make themselves.

Every day, in addition to producing peanut candy, every year around the tenth lunar month, families prepare by cleaning and repairing the vats and ovens for a new production season. With their own molasses production and over 10 years of experience in making peanut candy, some families supply 300-400 packages of candy to the market. These models have provided stable employment and high economic efficiency for the people. Mr. Nguyen Van Minh from Hamlet 13, Nghia Hung Commune, shared: “Compared to farming, making peanut candy brings much higher income. Customers not only buy molasses but also candy as gifts, and our family also supplies to distributors inside and outside the district…”

Minh Thai

(Nghia Dan Radio Station)