A dedicated guardian of Phu Hoi tea’s heritage

Guiding us through the Phu Hoi tea garden on a mild sunny morning, Nguyen Huy Sang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Nhon Trach commune and Chairman of the communal Farmers’ Association, cheerfully said: “This garden has tea trees that are several decades old, and some are even over a hundred years old. In the past, tea growing area was fragmented and market outlets were unstable. Now it is different; the tea-growing area has expanded; people have jobs and earn more stable incomes…”

Nguyen Huy Sang, Vice Chairman of Nhon Trach communal VFF Committee and Chairman of the communal Farmers’ Association, introduces Phu Hoi Tea products. Photo: Ho Thao

With his warm voice and simple storytelling style, Sang turns the story of Phu Hoi tea into more than a journey of economic pursuit, it is also a narrative about preserving the memories and identity of a rural area. For his persistent contributions, in 2025 he was honored as a national role model in studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.

Giving Phu Hoi tea a “new look”

Born and raised in Nhon Trach commune and long involved in farmers’ movements and association work, Sang deeply understands the farmers’ concerns amid market fluctuations, the fading of traditional crafts, and demands for innovation in building new-style rural areas.

According to Sang, association work is not merely about fulfilling targets, but more importantly about building consensus, trust and motivation for farmers to boldly change their production mindset. With this belief in mind, together with the Executive Committee of the communal Farmers’ Association, he persistently encouraged members to join collective economic models, cooperative groups and vocational chapters — the “support platforms” that help farmers link up to mutually support one another for sustainable development.

For Phu Hoi tea, a product long associated with the locality, Sang has devoted even greater efforts. At one point, tea trees faced the risk of being cut down due to low economic efficiency, and lack of outlets and branding. From this concern, he and the Farmers’ Association gradually mobilized households to join cooperative groups and vocational chapters, forming concentrated production areas to both preserve valuable tea varieties and develop sustainable livelihoods.

“To date, from an initial growing area of only about 5.5 hectares, the Phu Hoi tea material zone has expanded to nearly 9.5 hectares, moving toward more than 15 hectares by 2030. These green tea hills not only provide stable livelihoods for local people but also become experiential destinations for visitors from near and far,” Sang said.

Going beyond growing and selling raw materials, Sang determined that for the tea trees to “thrive,” branding is essential. Therefore, he directly worked with the communal Farmers’ Association to guide households in building brands, improving packaging and completing legal procedures. As a result, Phu Hoi Tea has been granted trademark protection by the Intellectual Property Office for 10 years, creating a solid foundation for participation in the provincial-level One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program.

From a traditional product familiar in local daily life, Phu Hoi tea has gradually been given a “new look.” To date, Phu Hoi Tea products, Phu Hoi Tea filter bags and Phu Hoi Ginger Tea have all achieved the provincial OCOP 3-star rating, becoming a source of pride for people in Nhon Trach and contributing to the implementation of advanced new-style rural criteria.

In a small space filled with numerous certificates of merit, certificates of commendations and recognitions from various levels and sectors, as well as tea products of Phuc Bao household business (Nhon Trach commune), Sang shared that his biggest concern is how to ensure tea growers can confidently maintain long-term engagement in the trade. Guided by this thinking, he took the initiative to purchase tea products from members of the cooperative groups, helping them secure stable outlets and focus on production with peace of mind. Tea is bought directly at stable and transparent prices, gradually building a sustainable value chain for Phu Hoi tea.

Dang Thi Thu Huong, a member of the Phu Hoi Tea Growing and Trading Cooperative Group, emotionally said: “Previously, my family grew tea but did it cautiously because we were afraid it would be difficult to sell. Since Sang has stepped in to mobilize us, provide technical support and guarantee product purchase, we have felt much more confident in our production. We are very grateful for his dedicated support.”

Early adoption of digital transformation thinking in association work

To increase product value, Sang also focuses on combining production development with experiential and community-based tourism. Ancient tea trees aged 80–100 years are planned and labeled, becoming highlights that attract visitors. Thanks to this, the locality has welcomed more than 2,200 visitors for tours and experiences, contributing to product promotion and raising awareness of preserving traditional tea trees.

Alongside preserving traditional values, Sang is among the early adopters of digital transformation thinking in association work. He actively guides members to bring products to e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Vo So and buudien.vn, expanding markets for agricultural and local specialty products and thereby helping farmers increase incomes.

“My greatest joy is seeing daily changes in my hometown, and the farmers’ smiles when their products are welcomed by the market.”

Nguyen Huy Sang, Vice Chairman of Nhon Trach commune VFF Committee and Chairman of the communal Farmers’ Association.

As Chairman of the communal Farmers’ Association, Nguyen Huy Sang always stays close to grassroots levels, maintains regular chapter and group meetings, and listens to members’ concerns and aspirations. From practical needs, in 2025, he and the Association’s Executive Committee established seven new economic cooperative groups in tea cultivation, flower growing, cattle raising, pomelo, jackfruit and safe vegetable production, attracting 115 members and creating jobs for dozens of workers with stable incomes of 8–10 million VND per month.

Beyond economic development, Sang actively mobilizes members to participate in new-style rural development movements, environmental protection and local security and order maintenance. These quiet but persistent efforts have contributed to changing the rural landscape and improving people’s livelihoods.

With his tireless contributions, Nguyen Huy Sang has been recognized by authorities at various levels with many titles and awards. Notably, in 2025, he was honored as a national exemplary individual in studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.

By Ho Thao – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha