Dien Bien Rubber JSC: Initiating “White Gold” in a Rough Land

For a long time, Dien Bien’s Authorities have been concerned about how to find an exit from poverty for residents. However, the question of “what plant to grow, what animal to raise” is still a vicious circle. As a result, since its appearance in Dien Bien, there have been high expectations in rubber. Despite its known benefits, since rubber is a familiar industrial plant in Vietnam, it took seven years to confirm those values, which has caused many doubts. In sessions of Dien Bien provincial People’s Committee, rubber is always a hot topic. In return, rubber doesn’t betray people’s expectation when growing fast and promising good returns.

 

Although a new crop here, after three years rubber has covered 3,800 hectares of Dien Bien mountains in six districts and the city, with capital of about VND 250 billion. Expanding rubber area in the face of the weather in the North West area demands uncountable effort and struggle from each worker in Dien Bien Rubber Joint Stock Company. Rubber has created jobs for over 300 local people of various ethnic groups. When the project of 10,000 hectares rubber is finished, the company will recruit 5,000 – 6,000 skilled workers.

 

Mr Nguyen Huy Ly, Director General of Dien Bien Rubber Joint Stock Company, said: The project to plant rubber in Dien Bien has brought double benefits by covering abandoned land and developing the local economy. Farmers are able to buy shares, become shareholders, participate in corporate management, be recruited as workers, be contracted to care for and protect the plantation and make a regular income. Actually, after three years of implementation, rubber has adapted well with the soil and climate conditions in Dien Bien province, witnessed good growth and plenty of latex, promising high efficiency.

 

Its initial efficiency can be clearly seen, and rubber becomes the key plant for hunger elimination and poverty reduction, which requires the Authority and Dien Bien Rubber Joint Stock Company to find solutions to handle any difficulties. Initially in the province, there were some projects shifting crop and livestock structure, but they were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, since it takes seven years to exploit rubber, residents didn’t really trust the project at first. Therefore, in implementation and cooperation there have been obstacles, especially slow land recall to plant rubber resulted in slow transferring procedure, greatly influencing the company’s annual plan for new plantation.

 

To address those obstacles, in the coming time, the company will continue to conduct measures to balance the people’s and the company’s benefits. First, the company will coordinate with the locality to boost communication thoroughly with the whole staff and people so that they understand the benefits of developing rubber, especially policies supporting rubber development issued by the provincial People’s Committee. The company will also propose and actively coordinate with local Party cells and Authorities to implement local and corporate policies for households, organizations, individuals contributing land to the company to plant rubber. Cooperative contracts between landowners and the company will be soon completed and signed so that they can be ensured and participate in developing rubber. Related policies will be implemented, such as: attracting labourers, recruiting workers, building public welfare works, and joining charity funds to help households in need, ensuring balance between benefits of the people and the enterprise, and establishing agreement among the Party cell, the Authority and the people so the rubber development project keeps on track.