Hometown flavors on every stall
Crowded with people, Lang Son's booths were like lively "stages" in the middle of the festival, attracting visitors with their colors, flavors and proud stories. Stepping into Huu Lung district's booth, one quickly attracted attention with its plump, sweet custard apples.
Mr. Le Duc Hai, who has been attached to custard apple trees in Lang Son for many years, said about his achievements: "Custard apples from rocky mountains have a sweet taste and a unique aroma that cannot be found anywhere else."
Visitors to the booth were surprised to enjoy the firm, crunchy, sweet custard apples - a strange flavor but full of love for the land. "Thanks to this festival, my OCOP custard apple products are more widely promoted, having the opportunity to reach many potential customers," Mr. Hai shared with a gentle smile.
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Chi Lang district agricultural products stall, Lang Son, has a variety of products[/caption] Sharing more with Dan Viet newspaper, the "father" of the special custard apple variety: "I have successfully grafted durian custard apple, Taiwanese custard apple, Yen Son custard apple on an area of over 1 hectare, I have wrapped the fruit since it was small to ensure safety, because I hope customers will find it delicious, feel secure and want to establish a cooperative to develop this fruit to reach a wider market". Visitors standing around listening and tasting the custard apple all exclaimed, some were surprised because the custard apple here is different, crunchy, sweet and more fragrant than other places. Ms. Mai, a tourist from Cao Bang, shared her feelings after enjoying it: "I heard that custard apple here is a specialty, I was curious to try it. The custard apple is really fragrant, eating it once is unforgettable, just like the people here, both honest and lovable". Moving to the Bac Son stall, the space seemed to carry the scent of rice and the soul of the countryside with the Typical OCOP products such as black banh chung, green-skinned grapefruit and yellow sticky rice are the highlights that attract tourists. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1280"] 
Black jelly is the main product of display cluster 4[/caption] The most prominent is black banh chung, a type of cake made from sticky rice soaked in straw ash of a special rice variety, bringing a different color and flavor. Ms. Hoang Thi Hoi, an official at the Center for Culture, Sports and Communications of Bac Son district introduced: "Black banh chung is cool to eat, has a strange aroma compared to regular banh chung, and is made entirely by hand from yellow sticky rice". Each cake is not only an OCOP specialty but also a unique cultural feature of Bac Son people, a flavor that makes visitors admire. Ms. Hoi shared more: "The whole process of making cakes is handmade and dedicated by the people. I hope that Bac Son products will be known by more and more people, so that when mentioning black banh chung, they will remember our homeland". Rich in the soul of the countryside, spreading the brand far and wide. The booth of Trang Dinh district, with outstanding OCOP products such as star anise tea, rice cakes, black jelly, also attracted no less attention. Ms. Tran Thi Thu Lan, director of Trang Dinh Agricultural and Forestry Service Production Cooperative, shared about Lan Ngoc star anise tea product, a name that she is proud to be "precious as jade" of Trang Dinh land. Ms. Lan confided to Dan Viet newspaper reporter: "The name Lan Ngoc star anise tea means Lan is my personal name and Ngoc is likened to star anise flower as precious as jade of Lang Son land, where star anise is a sacred product of local people". The tea and jelly products were "sold out" from the morning when they were just put on sale thanks to the enthusiastic reception from tourists. Participating in this promotional festival to let everyone know about the specialty products, the mainstay of Lang Son province in general and Trang Dinh district in particular, to be more widely known and covered. Ms. Lan believes that, thanks to the precious local medicinal herbs, the cooperative's products will not only develop domestically but also have the potential to reach out internationally. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1280"] 
Tourists try agricultural products[/caption] Mr. Binh, a visitor from Hanoi, shared that OCOP medicinal products in Lang Son bring a sense of security and closeness, not only because of the taste but also because of the story behind each product: "The things that people put into the products are very familiar and pristine. In Hanoi, I rarely find things like this, so when I come here, I find it worth buying and bringing back for long-term use". Stopping at the booth of Lang Son city, visitors cannot miss the macadamia products of Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, director of Hoang Lien Macadamia Company. His booth includes products from macadamia nuts such as dried and cracked macadamia, macadamia honey and some other by-products. Mr. Hung shared about the journey of product development from the difficult early days until Hoang Lien macadamia became one of the 10 typical rural industrial products of the province in 2023, meeting OCOP standards and preparing for international export, especially to Russia and China. Mr. Hung said: “Bringing macadamia nuts internationally is a dream I have pursued for a long time. My products have been tested and highly appreciated by the international market, but there are still difficulties in transportation due to the international situation”. At the same time, he also expressed his gratitude to the Provincial People's Committee and the agencies that organized the festival, helping Hoang Lien macadamia nuts have more opportunities to go further. When coming here, visitors are curious about Lang Son macadamia nuts, a nutritious product with high economic value. After trying, many people expressed their interest in the creativity and innovation in agricultural production. Mr. Hung believes that this will be a sustainable direction for Lang Son agriculture, contributing to the development of the province's OCOP brand and reaching out to the international market in the future. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1280"] 
Farmer Nguyen Manh Hung introduces macadamia honey products[/caption] The Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of the Northeast Ethnic Groups in Lang Son is not only an opportunity for local people to meet and exchange culture, but also a bridge to help Lang Son OCOP products get closer to consumers and reach further markets. This is not only a source of pride for the people but also a story of sustainable development, of cultural values and product quality that are increasingly being affirmed. Hopefully, each specialty of Lang Son will continue to "fly high and far", becoming the pride of local people on every road, contributing to building a sustainable local economy. Source: https://danviet.vn/san-pham-dac-san-ocop-lang-son-ban-chay-nhu-tom-tuoi-o-ngay-hoi-van-hoa-dong-bac-20241105070415996.htm
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