Going to Lang Son in late autumn, following the introduction of the local people, we had the opportunity to meet Mr. Nguyen Trung Son (born in 1991, Trang Phai commune, Van Quan district) - the co-founder of Thuan Phat Cooperative, specializing in producing edible mushrooms and medicinal mushrooms - products certified to meet the 3-star OCOP standards of Lang Son province.
Leading us around the greenhouse with mushroom growing frames and racks sprouting, Mr. Son introduced: "The total area of the factory is currently about 2,500 m2, mainly producing straw mushrooms and oyster mushrooms."
Talking about his entrepreneurial journey, the 9x youth from Lang Son said that he was born and raised in Trang Phai commune, Van Quan district. After finishing 9th grade, due to his family's financial difficulties, he had to drop out of school and work many jobs to make a living.
"Working for hire is unstable, the employer pays whatever he can, if he doesn't pay, I have to accept it. After many times like that, I decided to return to my hometown. Luckily, during my work, I learned about some mushroom growing models in the Southern region, so I decided to try this model," Son confided.
Talking about the reason for choosing straw mushroom products - a type of mushroom that prefers heat to start a business in Lang Son - one of the first places to welcome the monsoon in the North, this young man said that currently in the province there is still no large-scale straw mushroom growing model, but it mainly depends on seasonal weather.
With an initial capital of 10 million VND and borrowing from relatives, brothers and banks, a closed factory with various types of machinery was built with a total investment of nearly 2 billion VND.
"There are many difficulties. This type of mushroom only likes heat, and the weather in the North has 4 seasons. That's why, in the first 4 months, my family almost lost everything. After that, both me and my aunt, who is now the director, had to go to some places to learn more and gradually grasp the core techniques.
At the same time, the cooperative also focuses on the production process, following each stage, from raw materials, seeds, drying, care, harvesting and preserving products, especially ensuring suitable temperature and humidity for mushrooms to achieve high productivity" - Mr. Son said.
According to the representative of Thuan Phat Cooperative, the current monthly mushroom output is about 4 tons. The wholesale price is about 110,000 - 120,000 VND/kg, the retail price is about 150,000 VND/kg.
In addition, this cooperative is creating jobs for 10 permanent workers with salaries from 7 - 10 million VND/month and about 5 seasonal workers.
Talking about the future direction, Mr. Son said that the cooperative will invest in more machinery and apply science and technology to further improve product quality to be able to supply enough output according to market demand.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Trieu Van Huu - Chairman of the People's Committee of Trang Phai commune, Van Quan district - said that Thuan Phat Cooperative has been operating effectively up to now, creating stable income for members and many local workers.
According to Mr. Huu, the cooperative's straw mushroom product is rated as a 3-star OCOP product, contributing to affirming the brand and bringing the product closer to consumers.
"Thuan Phat Cooperative's mushroom growing model won second prize in the "Innovative startup ideas and projects" contest in Lang Son province in 2024. The Commune People's Committee also committed to creating all favorable conditions within its capacity for the cooperative to expand and develop," said Mr. Huu.
Also according to the leader of Trang Phai Commune People's Committee, in early 2024, the mushroom growing model of Thuan Phat Cooperative also received a certificate of merit from the Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee for effectively developing the economy, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction in the locality.
