Famer collect mulberry leaves.

Bao Dap commune has nearly 150 hectares of mulberry trees, 130 hectares of which are in harvest. Last year the silkworms produced 210 tons of cocoons, earning more than 850,000 USD.

The commune intends to expand its mulberry-growing area and the local administration is looking for a stable outlet for their production, said Ngo Thi Thuy Van, Chairwoman of the communal Farmers’ Association.

“Before we connected with each other, local farmers raised silkworms and then tried to find traders to buy their cocoons,” said Van, adding, “Last year an automated silk filament extraction factory was built in Bao Dap commune, bolstering the farmers’ confidence they will have an outlet.”

Van says the factory, managed by the Yen Bai Sericulture Joint Stock Company, was put into operation in March and has a capacity of 150 tons of silk a year, equivalent to 1,100 tons of cocoons. Its silk is exported to India, Japan, and the EU.

Dinh Xuan Truong, Director of the Company, says his company has pledged to buy all the cocoons produced by the communes in Tran Yen district and neighboring localities.

It intends to buy 1,000 tons of cocoons this year. This makes local mulberry and silkworm producers feel a lot more secure.

“We’re committed to purchasing and grading the local production. If any cocoons are below our standard, we’ll send our engineers to show the farmers how to improve the quality of their cocoons. This linkage will help farmers grow better products more efficiently and give our customers higher quality silk to export,” said Truong.

Each hectare of mulberry trees produces an income of 8,500 USD, two to three times more than other crops.

Other communes in Tran Yen district have now established mulberry and silkworm cooperatives, and formed links between farmers and traders.