The tea tree grows tall in the Yen Tinh region
(Baonghean.vn) - Coming to Yen Tinh, we were drawn into the new business story of the people and officials of this remote commune. And the most "engaging" was the story of Yen Tinh tea tree, which was created by the active and creative people here, into a product that is packaged, consumed well, and is spreading its reputation far and wide...
Honestly, going to Yen Tinh this time, we were haunted by the deep mountains, full of sad stories from the past, before the days when Pu Phen peak was eroded and devastated by gold mining, which resulted in a "hot spot" in the remote district of Tuong Duong. Therefore, the previous dinner with some "native" friends in Thach Giam town, although there were specialties from the hydroelectric reservoir, including beef jerky, black chicken with spicy dishes... the guests were somewhat quiet. There was something both excited and vague.
More than twenty years ago, I followed the provincial working group to Yen Na, Yen Hoa, Yen Tinh on a "unique" path full of hardships. Yen Tinh at that time was wild, the people's lives were clearly difficult. The forests and mountains were on the verge of being destroyed, causing a premonition of poverty. But the scene of Yen Tinh at that time was truly "quiet", with people living a self-sufficient life, almost no services and the operations of the grassroots apparatus were operating in a simple way... Then the "toxic storm" caused by gold mining on Pu Phen peak, Cha Ha stream swept through. The floods killed people, lost property, swept away houses... Yen Tinh was not "quiet"!... Difficulties piled on difficulties.
“We have arrived at Yen Tinh center!”, said Mr. Kha Van Ot - Vice Chairman of the People’s Council of Tuong Duong district. I was engrossed in admiring the acacia forests, bamboo forests, cassava fields... which are bringing people’s lives to a more and more prosperous and sustainable level, so I was surprised by a vibrant and fresh “complex” of houses, schools, offices, and shopping services along provincial road 543C clinging to Cha Ha stream.
The bustling greetings, the sunshine on the faces of people. We were drawn into the new business stories of the people and cadres of this remote commune. And the most "drawn" was the story of Yen Tinh tea tree, which was created by the active and creative people here, into a product that is packaged, consumed well, and is spreading its reputation far and wide...
Actually, our trip to Yen Tinh this time was due to a text message from Mr. Lu Kham Khay in Canh Toong village, who is currently in charge of the Cooperative Group for producing and processing tea. The message was like a "cry for help" that if the gold mining continued, all the efforts and expectations for a peaceful life, developing by one's own strength and efforts, along with support from above, would "disappear" not only for the Cooperative Group but also for the cadres and people of Yen Tinh in general.
How serious! And it is indeed serious, if tomorrow a mineral exploitation project, specifically gold, is licensed to be implemented here. Pu Phen Mountain is re-greening its forest layers, including the tea vine layer that is confidently asserting its value, Cha Ha stream flows through the center of Yen Tinh with developing aquatic species, allowing valuable catches of aquatic products... then what will happen? And especially the disruption and disruption of the people's peaceful life when many social evils follow the rampant gold exploitation as in the past? A Yen Tinh that is making great efforts towards the goal of building a new mountainous countryside will certainly face no small challenge.
Tinh did not see the "team" of young cadres of Yen Tinh "enthusiastic" about a project that could "return" as is often seen in a remote locality with many difficulties. Surely, this is because this is a mineral exploitation project with consequences that are difficult to measure, haunting the future generations of Yen Tinh people...
Che day is a wild climbing plant growing in the forest, with the scientific name Ampelosis cantoniensis (Hook. et Arn.) Planch, belonging to the grape family (Vitaceae). The research results on Che day by the Institute of Medicinal Materials (Ministry of Health) have announced the following conclusions: Che day has the effect of killing germs and bacteria, reducing acidity in the stomach, helping stomach ulcers to heal easily; pain relief due to duodenal ulcers reaches 93.4%, with Alusi (a drug specializing in treating duodenal ulcers today) is 89%; cure at the level of scarring is Che day is 36.36% with Alusi 30.56%... Using Che day is non-toxic and has no side effects.
Going down to Canh Toong village, where 15 households participate in the Yen Tinh Tea Cooperative, we did not meet Lu Kham Khay because he was busy going downstream to attend some event related to tea products, but we did meet his wife, kindergarten teacher Kha Thi Hoa, one of the 15 members of the group.
Under the stilt house next to Khe Cha Ha, the female Party Secretary of Canh Toong village, Luong Thi Xoa, and members of the Yen Tinh Tea Cooperative are checking the processed tea products to be packaged under the brands "Yen Tinh Tea" and "Canh Toong Tea Herbal Tea". Kha Thi Hoa excitedly said: Yen Tinh's Canh Toong tea products have regularly connected with customers in the province and in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ngai. In 2023, the group sold more than 100 kg, deducting expenses, earning more than 200 million VND...
The tea tree on Pu Phen mountain has now been brought back by the Cooperative to grow in their own garden, planted on 1 hectare next to Cha Ha stream and grown well. The happiest thing is that the Yen Tinh tea tree product has been put on the "electronic platform" by the Cooperative - the Fanpage "Yen Tinh Tea Tree" is operating quite professionally.
We enjoyed a pot of freshly brewed sweet and fragrant tea while continuing to talk about the precious tea variety that is gradually growing thicker and thicker in the green layer surrounding Pu Phen peak, and the determination to expand it "initiated" from a survey trip by district and commune leaders and reporters about the consequences of gold mining. On the way, we quenched our thirst and climbed the mountain more vigorously thanks to fresh brewed tea, which ignited the determination of Yen Tinh commune leaders: We must build a model for producing commercial tea products, opening up new business directions for the people...
The heated conversation suddenly calmed down when Lu Kham Khay's message was mentioned. Party cell secretary Luong Thi Xoa said: I will take you to meet former commune officials and old people in Yen Tinh to hear them tell how terrible the "gold rush" was in the past. We talked about the sad story of the day Pu Phen was dug up to get gold in the past, which the press had talked about a lot, and among us, there were colleagues (journalists) who worked hard to go to the field, sympathized with the locality and people of Yen Tinh, and persistently brought to the public many articles that received attention from the public and the authorities...
But to answer the question of Yen Tinh people, whether gold mining enterprises are licensed to operate or not, we have to wait for the wisdom and true concern for the people of the authorities!
On the part of the commune leaders, Party Secretary Quang Van Dang discussed: the commune encourages people to build a model of planting, preliminary processing and developing a collective brand for tea products; preserve 10 hectares of tea on Pu Phen peak, develop tea trees in Tuong Duong district in general, Yen Tinh commune in particular to bring practical results to the people, thereby contributing to sustainable poverty reduction, building a model of linking production with consumption of key products to ensure sustainability, creating an OCOP product brand for Yen Tinh's typical tea.
And the aspiration of Yen Tinh tea products is now strongly moving towards specific goals: Establishing Yen Tinh Agricultural Service Cooperative with about 9 tea cooperatives; establishing a product consumption chain with Sen Que Bac Agricultural Cooperative; PhucGroup Corporation... in the province. That aspiration needs to be achieved, so that tea trees can grow high on Yen Tinh land, and tea products "the essence of heaven and earth on Pu Phen peak" can reach far and wide to the large market!
In January 2024, Yen Tinh Tea product was recognized by the OCOP Product Appraisal Council of Tuong Duong district as a 3-star OCOP product.
