 Dong Thi Van Ha. (Photo: VOV) |
Dang Thi Van Ha has developed her trademark, Slampe, which in the Tay language means Ba Be, the area of fragrant winter melon where Ha was born and raised.
At the Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Ha learned how to use fragrant winter melon to produce natural cosmetics and soaps. In 2019 Ha started making soaps from fragrant winter melon, and after several unsuccessful attempts came up with the idea of adding essential oil from mint, coconut, and palm trees to produce safe, natural fragrance for her products, which were then approved by Bac Kan province’s Department of Health.
Since early 2022, Ha has been receiving lots of orders for her soaps. She says 1 kilo of fragrant winter melon sells for about 50 US cents, but can produce 12 USD worth of soap.
“Local farmers work very hard but their agricultural products sell for very little. In my locality, fragrant winter melon is mainly sold for food. It’s very heavy, which makes it difficult to transport. I came up with the idea of making something else from this fruit,” said Ha.
Fragrant winter melon is grown on an area of about 200 hectares, mainly in Dia Linh and Yen Duong commune. The Slampe cooperative run by Ha makes mooncakes filled with fragrant winter melon and green tea. Slampe’s herbal tea made from fragrant winter melon sell for about 4 USD.
The cooperative has purchased 50 tons of fragrant winter melon from local farmers and plans to buy 100 tons by the end of the year.
“I’ve sold nearly 10 tons of fragrant winter melon to the Slampe cooperative for more than 50 US cents per kilo, which is above market price. Many other local farmers have also benefited from selling fragrant winter melon to the Slampe cooperative,” said Dong Thi Vong, a farmer in Ba Be district.
 Mooncakes filled with fragrant winter melon and green tea made by the Slampe cooperative (Photo: VOV) |
Hoang Thi Trang, a saleman from northern Thai Nguyen province, has bought lots of organic products from Slampe cooperative.
“I hope that in the future, natural, organic products like those of Slampe cooperative will become more popular and will promote a green and healthy lifestyle,” said Trang.
The Slampe cooperative now has 7 members, each of whom earns nearly 250 USD per month. Ha promotes her products online, at tourist resorts, and at trade fairs.
“More and more people have begun shopping online. I hope this will allow our products to reach a wider range of customers inside and outside Vietnam,” she said.
Fragrant winter melon is an OCOP (One Commune One Product) specialty of Bac Kan province, and Ha’s initiatives have helped it find more markets.