The local artisans often start producing new products in different zodiac signs of the upcoming New Year. This year, many have created buffalo-shaped ceramics for the Year of the Buffalo.

The first step in making the items is to mix clay.

Nguyen Van Nhan, an artisan with 30 years of experience in this craft, says he has been asked to make a total of 10,000 buffalo-shaped ceramic products from various traders this year.

After being removed from the mold, the buffaloes-shaped items are dried for a period of six to eight hours before being placed in the kiln.

According to artisan Phan Van Hiep, a kiln is capable of accommodating 3,000 to 4,000 items in roughly seven hours each.

The buffaloes are typically sold to artisans in Thu Dau Mot and Thuan An cities who then paint them as part of the final stage.

Gold-plated ceramics prove to be the most popular item on the market.

A buffalo-shaped ceramic product costs between VND 10,000 and VND 80,000, equal to 43 US cents to 3.47 USD, with each coming in different sizes.

The items are also exported to Laos and Cambodia.