Utilizing By-products

We were surprised to learn that Nuong is the daughter of Chau Thanh Phu – a renowned farmer known as the “acid soil treatment king” in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle, who developed the high-yield TP rice variety in the 1990s. Over 30 years ago, Phu’s family pioneered and reclaimed new land in Ta Danh (now part of Co To commune), facing many challenges but determined to pursue clean production without overusing fertilizers and pesticides.

Following her father’s farming approach, Nuong is passionate about green and clean production models. In 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic affected many people’s health, she began researching mushroom cultivation, aiming to produce safe, nutritious products for consumers.

She started with black termite mushrooms and lingzhi mushrooms, then expanded to cordyceps, abalone mushrooms, straw mushrooms… Her farms in Co To commune and Thoi Son ward cover a total area of 4 hectares. Initially, she had to buy spawn, but now Nuong isolates strains herself, produces spawn, and transfers techniques to other mushroom farms.

What’s remarkable is her use of local materials and recognition of each type’s lifecycle and value. She applies a closed-loop model to maximize benefits, reduce environmental waste, and increase economic returns.

“Living in the Mekong Delta, with vast rice fields, each harvest leaves behind a lot of straw that farmers either sell cheaply or burn. Bay Nui has a cool climate, ideal for mushroom cultivation. Seizing these favorable conditions, I boldly switched from teaching to farming, with guidance from the Women’s Union and professors from Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City,” Nuong shared.

The substrate used for black termite mushrooms is reused and mixed with new materials to grow straw mushrooms, then used to raise earthworms for organic fertilizer. Cordyceps stems are made from purple rice and other nutritious organic rice varieties, which are then used to feed free-range chickens… Thus, she continuously extracts value.

Building a Mushroom Brand

After four years of experimentation, Nuong has not only succeeded with a large-scale mushroom farm but also founded the Ta Danh cooperative with eight members. The farms produce over 10 tons of mushrooms annually, generating 12 billion VND in revenue. The model provides regular jobs for 30 female workers, with peak seasons employing around 60 workers, earning 6–9 million VND/month.

Nuong Farm currently produces four main types of mushrooms: black termite, lingzhi, cordyceps, and abalone mushrooms. In addition to fresh sales, most raw mushrooms are deeply processed using high-tech equipment.

Black termite mushrooms are freeze-dried, sold fresh, made into floss and snacks. Cordyceps are dried, made into tea, soaked in wine or honey. Lingzhi mushrooms are ground into instant tea, soaked in wine, dried, and used as ornamental plants. Abalone and straw mushrooms are sold fresh and made into snacks…

Products have entered supermarket chains, OCOP stores, and are distributed wholesale and retail nationwide. Nuong actively showcases her products at events, contests, and fairs to attract new customers and expand market reach. Among them, three products have achieved OCOP certification: large lingzhi mushrooms, cordyceps, and fresh black termite mushrooms under the brand "Nang Nuong."

Transitioning from a non-agricultural background to farming, Nuong faced many challenges but has confidently taken charge. According to her experience, growing fresh, delicious mushrooms is one thing; the harder part is mastering humidity control techniques and harvesting at the optimal time for peak nutritional value.

Now, the woman from Bay Nui dares to “dream big” about her mushroom farm, hoping to expand its scale to create more jobs for local workers. Especially with her clean, closed-loop production model, she plans to welcome visitors for mushroom-picking experiences and enjoy on-site mushroom-based dishes.

News by MY HANH

Translator: Thi Huynh