Border farmers swim in the river to transport acacia wood in the cold
(Baonghean.vn) - Without a bridge, people in Hanh Dich commune (Que Phong) have to swim in the river and push acacia rafts in the cold below 20 degrees Celsius.
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| Farmers in Hanh Dich commune (Que Phong) transport acacia on rafts. Photo: Tho Ba Cuong |
In the cold weather below 20 degrees, farmers in the mountainous district of Que Phong still immerse themselves in the water, steering rafts of acacia wood across the river. The Nam Viec River passing through Chieng village, Hanh Dich commune is nearly thirty spans wide. On the other side are the acacia plantations of the villagers. There is no bridge on the river, so people mainly have to transport acacia across the river on rafts.
Mr. Ha Van Thanh, a 35-year-old farmer living in Chieng village, said: To transport a raft of acacia wood weighing about half a ton of acacia, it takes two people to row it. It takes them nearly half an hour to get a raft across the river.
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| A man immersed in the freezing water controls a wooden raft. Photo: Huu Vi |
On the river, as the sky was getting dark, the farmers had not finished their work yet. While the cold made many passersby wear warm clothes, one of the two men steering the raft had to immerse himself in the river. He swam and used all his strength to push the raft to move in the right direction.
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| The job of peeling acacia bark brings this woman an income of about 150,000 VND per day. Photo: Huu Vi |
Meanwhile, a group of women were peeling the bark of acacia trees right next to the river. The members of the “crew” were clearly assigned tasks. The women peeled the bark and did some other chores. The men used chainsaws to cut down acacia trees, then tied them into rafts and transported them across the river.
Ms. Luong Thi Mai, resident of Kim Khe village, Chau Kim commune, traveled more than 10 km to Chieng village to work for an acacia plantation. She said that they are paid 150,000 VND per day. Although the men have to work harder, their wages are the same.
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| Winter is also the time when one of the two acacia logging seasons takes place in a year. Photo: Tho Ba Cuong |
Rafting and pushing across the river is the main way of transporting acacia wood for the people of Hanh Dich commune. Most of the villages here live next to the Nam Viec river and a large part of the total 176 hectares of acacia in the whole Hanh Dich commune when exploited will have to be transported across the river.
Currently is the acacia logging season in this border commune.