Mr. Mai Lam Phuong has made beautiful and valuable items from avicennia trees. (Photo: VOV)

Farmer Mai Lam Phuong has visited many areas to learn about different economic development models. He was impressed with the one he saw in Ben Tre province, which involve coconut trees. Returning to his native Ca Mau where avicennia trees grow abundantly, Phuong decided to try to make something useful from them.

First, he made some items for his family’s use. Then, he started making chopsticks and spoons to sell. As these products gradually improve in their design, Phuong have created a machine to speed up production. 

“I designed and created a machine to make chopsticks and spoons myself. I first had to do a lot of research. Then I started assembling it,” he said.

Mr. Phuong creates a machine to make chopsticks and spoons. (Photo: VOV)

The machine has a motor which rapidly splits the wood and polishes it. Phuong uses two-to-three-year-old avicennia trees to make his chopsticks. His family can produce 100 pairs of chopsticks and 30 spoons per day. A handful of chopsticks or a spoon sells for about 1 USD, producing a good income for Phuong’s family. Phuong says he is still doing research to improve his machine, “I want to improve the capacity of this machine to boost my income to dozens of dollars per day”.

Phuong has also begun growing dragon fruit on avicennia trees beside a pond, a model which is drawing praise for its profitability.