Sustaining traditional deer-farming trade

The deer-farming community in the former Hieu Liem commune, now part of Tri An ward, has a history spanning several decades. The trade has proved highly profitable, helping many local households improve their incomes and living standards.

Once practiced mainly on a small and scattered scale, deer farming is now being developed through production and consumption linkages to ensure sustainable growth. Local authorities are also supporting efforts to have Hieu Liem deer products recognized under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, helping build the brand of a traditional local specialty.

A traditional trade with high economic value

Over the past year, demand for deer antler velvet has increased sharply, pushing up prices. Fresh deer antler velvet currently sells for VND23 million per kilogram at farms, up VND4-5 million from previous levels. Sambar deer antler velvet is priced at around VND8 million per kilogram, an increase of VND1-2 million. The price increase is mainly attributed to supply falling short of demand. Deer farms in Tri An ward often have customers place orders before the antlers are harvested.

A deer farm owned by Nguyen Van Truyen, Director of the Hieu Liem Deer and Stag Farming Support Service Cooperative (Hieu Liem Coop) in Tri An ward.

Most local residents originally came from the former Huong Son district in Ha Tinh province, an area long renowned for deer farming. They brought the traditional trade with them when they moved to the area to start new lives. Raising deer for antler velvet and breeding stock has become a key source of income and an important contributor to the local economy. Many households have built stable incomes and improved their livelihoods through the traditional trade.

Hoang Sinh Hao, a farmer in Tri An ward with 35 years of experience raising deer, said: “In the early days, my family raised just a few deer on a small scale to earn some extra income. It was only about 15 years ago that deer farming became our main occupation. At one point, our herd grew to around 60 animals. We currently have nearly 40. At its peak, the local deer-farming area had a herd of thousands. Later, many young people left to work at industrial parks. Meanwhile, their parents grew older, prompting some families to reduce their herds or stop farming altogether. As a result, the total number of deer declined significantly. Since 2025, however, many young people, after working elsewhere for several years, have come to see deer farming as a stable and profitable livelihood. They have returned home to continue their families' traditional trade”.

Deer mainly feed on grass, leaves, and locally available fruit, including agricultural by-products that are often available at little or no cost. This keeps feed costs relatively low. Deer are also relatively easy to raise and less susceptible to disease than many other livestock species. Many local farms are now rebuilding and expanding their herds on a larger, more concentrated scale, with herd sizes larger than before.

Building a local specialty brand

The locality has long been known for deer farming, giving local products a strong reputation among consumers. Customers looking for deer antler velvet or breeding stock often place orders with local farms based on their established reputation.

This reputation provides a solid foundation for transforming the once-small-scale, scattered farming activity into a more organized and sustainable production model based on linkages among farmers, cooperatives, and markets.

Nguyen Van Truyen, Director of the Hieu Liem Coop in Tri An ward, said deer antler velvet is traditionally valued for its health benefits and is increasingly popular in the market, allowing farmers to command high prices.

“Local authorities are encouraging the sustainable development of deer farming through linkages along the entire value chain, from production to consumption. This was also one of the reasons we established the Hieu Liem Coop. All cooperative members operate relatively large-scale deer farms. We are currently completing procedures to register Hieu Liem deer antler velvet as an OCOP product in order to build a brand for this local specialty,” Truyen said.

Currently, all deer raised in the Tri An ward farming area are registered and traceable, with their origins recorded by forest rangers and veterinary officials. Farmers are also paying greater attention to safe, disease-free production and environmental protection.

Le Dinh Minh, Vice Chairman of the Tri An ward Farmers' Association, said deer farming is a stable economic model with a long history in the locality. The Association and other local agencies are paying close attention to supporting the sustainable development of the trade. The locality now has several deer-farming groups with around 50 members. The total herd has grown to nearly 1,000 animals, raised by more than 80 households. Smaller farms keep nearly 10 deer, while larger ones have several dozen. The local deer-farming model has gradually established production and consumption linkages, helping increase the value of deer products and create jobs while providing a more sustainable foundation for the traditional trade.

The Tri An ward Farmers' Association is supporting the Hieu Liem Coop in obtaining OCOP recognition. This is an important foundation for building and promoting the brand of local deer antler velvet and other deer products. Local authorities are also planning to link deer farming with community-based and ecotourism development. The deer-farming area could become a tourist attraction. Meanwhile, deer-based products could also be promoted as local specialties for visitors, creating an additional source of income for farmers. Linking deer farming with tourism is expected to add value to the traditional agricultural trade, create new income opportunities, and help ensure its long-term sustainability.

By B. Nguyen – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho