Ha Thach keeps traditional profession

Nestled on the banks of the Thao River, Ha Thach rice noodle village in Phu Tho town was established long ago in the form of “father to son”. After hundreds of years, this traditional profession is still the main occupation, bringing stable income to the people with more than 100 households participating in production.

Taking us to visit the house with the scent of new paint that was just completed more than 2 months ago, Mr. Tran Huu Hoa, Hung Thao area shared: “Since I was little, I have helped my parents make cakes, so my experience has come over time. When we got married, my wife and I were determined to stick with the profession even though at that time the production tools were very rudimentary and not as modern as they are now. Baking is not difficult but requires diligence, meticulousness and staying up late and waking up early. After more than 40 years of working in the profession, my wife and I now have a new, spacious house.”

Mrs. Tran Thi Loan's family prepares dong leaves to wrap banh chung.

In Ha Thach, families in the craft village produce all year round with cakes such as: Chung cake, rolled cake, ear cake, fried cake, gai cake, vermicelli, rice noodles... mainly supplying to Phu Tho town and some neighboring districts including Thanh Ba, Phu Ninh, Lam Thao. In recent times, to improve productivity and product quality, many families have invested in modern machinery and equipment and diversified products sold to the market, both meeting food safety and hygiene requirements and building their own brands and trademarks.

Families in the craft village all invest in modern machinery and equipment.

Villagers often say that if they come to the village in the morning, they won’t see anyone, but in the afternoon, no one is absent. Morning work starts from 2am to 5am, after which people bring noodles and cakes to sell and deliver, and afternoon work starts from 3pm to 10pm. Regardless of cold or rainy weather, the alleys leading to the village are still lit up and bustling with vehicles, the bustling voices of delivery people and buyers, mixed with the hum of machines are the nimble hands producing batches of hot noodles and cakes.

Having been devoted to making banh chung for 35 years, Mrs. Tran Thi Loan’s family sells about 300 cakes a day. Although the business is year-round, the peak is from December 20 onwards, when the number of orders for banh chung increases 2-3 times, so family members have to increase their working hours to deliver the cakes to customers on time. Although the work at the end of the year is hard, in return everyone is happy because they have a warm and full Tet.

Ha Thach rice noodle village was recognized in 2013, and in 2019, Ha Thach rice noodle cooperative was established as the first foundation to build a local brand. In 2023, the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology) decided to grant a Certificate of Collective Trademark Registration for Ha Thach rice noodle products, helping the locality have a legal basis and protect product exclusivity. Thereby, it further motivates households to develop sustainable production and business, expand the consumption market, and at the same time, maintain the reputation and quality of the brand.

Mr. Hoa's new house after many years of working in the traditional profession.

Comrade Ha Thi Phuong Thu - Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee said: "The traditional rice noodle making profession in the locality has contributed to creating jobs for over 300 workers with an average income of 60 million VND/person/year. Stable family economy and improved material and spiritual life are also the basis for people to actively and voluntarily participate in contributing to the construction of new rural areas and local movements and activities".

Having gone through a century with many ups and downs and many generations of successors, those who are attached to the craft village now not only earn a living but also contribute to preserving the traditional culture of their homeland, determined to stick with and develop the craft village, bringing the flavor of the countryside cakes to all places in the province.

Vy An

Source: https://baophutho.vn/ha-thach-giu-nghe-truyen-thong-224729.htm