Quynh Luu develops its woodworking craft village.

(Baonghean)In recent years, the impact of the general economic downturn has made it difficult for handicraft products to be exported, especially rattan and bamboo products. In this context, the villages producing household and fine art wooden goods in Quynh Luu have continued to develop steadily by meeting the needs of the domestic market.

Mr. Ho Van Huu's woodworking workshop is located in Quynh Nghia commune.

Quynh Nghia (Quynh Luu district) is a commune with a long-standing traditional carpentry craft. All 11 villages in the commune have skilled carpenters, but the majority are concentrated in villages 1 and 4. The Phu Nghia woodworking and handicraft village is located in villages 1 and 4, covering an area of ​​6.7 hectares and employing nearly 300 workers specializing in woodworking. The village has 62 workshops specializing in the production of high-end woodworking and handicraft products, producing over 3,000 high-end products and more than 40,000 household woodworking products annually, serving customers inside and outside the province, generating an income of 14,092 million VND. The total income from the craft reaches 24,738 million VND, with an average worker income of 64 million VND per year. This success is due to the high quality of the products, the diverse range of goods, the rich variety of designs, and the established brand in the market.

Upon arriving at Phu Nghia craft village, the sounds of chainsaws and lathes, mixed with the chiseling and carving of hundreds of skilled craftsmen, could be heard from afar, creating a constant hustle and bustle. Visiting the woodworking workshop of Mr. Ho Van Tinh in Hamlet 1, Quynh Nghia Commune, we found a fairly large workshop conveniently located along Provincial Road 537B, facilitating the transportation of raw materials and the exchange of goods. Inside, several sets of wooden beds and some unfinished wooden cabinets remained. Mr. Tinh explained: "We mainly produce according to customer orders. Six or seven craftsmen work year-round, never running out of work, especially at the end of the year when we can't keep up with customer demand. All our high-quality wooden products, from beds, cabinets, tables, chairs, doors, and other interior furniture, are made to a high standard, so customers are increasingly placing orders." With total annual revenue of 5-6 billion VND, after deducting input costs and worker salaries, the net profit is approximately 300 million VND per year.

Mr. Tinh, 43 years old, has over 25 years of experience in the carpentry trade. He comes from a family with a long tradition in carpentry; his father was a renowned and skilled craftsman in Quynh Nghia commune. Following in his father's footsteps, the three brothers, Ho Van Huu, Ho Van Tinh, and Ho Van Xinh, each opened a traditional carpentry workshop, each with their own strengths in woodworking. Mr. Ho Van Huu's workshop, located next to Mr. Tinh's, specializes in producing high-end cabinets, beds, tables, and chairs, producing over 150 items annually, primarily for customers in the district and some neighboring areas. Thanks to his skillful hands, creativity, and passion for woodworking, Mr. Huu creates beautiful products that attract an increasing number of customers. His workshop employs 7-8 workers regularly, but production still cannot keep up with market demand, so Mr. Huu often has to travel to northern provinces to source additional goods. Total annual revenue exceeds 2 billion VND. Since the local government implemented a policy of developing concentrated craft villages and prioritizing land sales to production households, not only Mr. Huu's facility but also many other households have been given favorable conditions in promoting, introducing, and selling their products. Mr. Huu's production workshop is located along Highway 537B, with a fairly large facility and a product display area next to the workshop, making it very convenient for customers to learn about and purchase products.

Recognizing the growing market demand for wooden furniture, many households in Phu Nghia's traditional woodworking and handicraft village have invested in modern production machinery, increased capacity, and hired more workers to meet the growing needs of customers.

Leaving Quynh Nghia, we arrived in Quynh Hung – a locality with two traditional wood carving villages, Nam Thang and Thuan Giang. Thanks to the development of these two villages, the number of workers in the craft has increased over the years, reaching nearly 600 households and providing employment for approximately 900 local people. From a purely agricultural commune, by leveraging traditional crafts and demonstrating dynamism and creativity, the people of Quynh Hung have strongly promoted the development of commercial wood carving in their area. From raw production to finishing and product presentation, the entire process is carried out in a closed, highly scientific manner, saving production costs and resulting in competitive prices. This is a prominent advantage of the wood carving craft in Quynh Hung, a goal that almost every household in the area has been striving for. For example, Mr. Vu Hong Van's production facility in Nam Thang Woodworking Village previously only produced wooden goods at his private residence. Through years of accumulated experience in the craft, Mr. Van has now invested in opening an additional production and showroom located along the main road leading into the commune, making it very convenient for transporting raw materials and selling products. Besides meeting the needs of customers within the district, his family's products are also supplied to dealers in Hoang Mai Town, Dien Chau, and other areas.

Quynh Hung's advantage lies in its diverse range of wooden products, from high-end to affordable, meeting all customer needs. Therefore, the Quynh Hung wooden furniture brand is highly favored by consumers in the province. The lives of the people in the craft village are prosperous, and the value of industrial and handicraft production currently accounts for over 40% of the local economy.

Although traditional craft villages still face many difficulties in production and product consumption, with many closing down such as rattan and bamboo weaving villages and sedge mat weaving villages, the carpentry village in Quynh Luu still attracts many customers, affirming the stable development of these villages. Mr. Tran Van Huy - Head of the Policy Consulting Department of the Cooperative Union of Nghe An province, said: To promote the development of craft villages in the coming years, it is necessary to have plans and orientations for each field and each type of product to support product consumption. In conditions of declining purchasing power, craft village products need to improve their competitiveness through quality and reasonable prices.

Quynh Lan