Lê Trường Tùng (right) is in his workshop. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Nam

THANH HÓA — In Thanh Hóa Province, young people are taking the lead in economic development and applying new technologies to production, contributing to the province's start-up campaign. 

Lê Trường Tùng, who lives in Trung Thành Commune, Nông Cống District, is a good example.

Tùng was born into an agricultural family. After graduating from university, he worked as an employee in Hà Nội. During those years, Tùng went to farms that grew high-tech crops and dreamt of using this model in his hometown.

In 2017, he decided to return to his hometown to start a business. Supported by Thanh Hóa Province Youth Union, he borrowed VNĐ1 billion (US$44,000) from the start-up programme and used the capital to import equipment, hire workers, and build a 2,000sq.m factory to produce canned pineapples, corn and tomatoes for export.

At first, without much experience, he encountered many difficulties because the canned pineapple products could not be sold. Persevering in searching for new markets, Tùng has finally conquered consumers by promoting his products' quality.

In 2020, Tùng decided to expand production. He rebuilt a 5,000sq.m factory, planted five more hectares of cucumbers and 40 hectares of pineapple trees to get raw materials for production.

With the new plant technology, his pineapple products are cleaned, marinated with sugar by modern machines, then put into canning. All stages ensure food hygiene and safety.

With hard work and diligence, he established the Trung Thành Agricultural Processing Joint Stock Company.

His products are sold in domestic, Asian and European markets. His family's average income is VNĐ4 billion ($176,000) per year, creating jobs for 80 workers with a salary of VNĐ6-9 million ($260-396) per person per month.

Tùng plans to develop more raw material areas for canned pineapple, corn and tomato products, for export to France, the US and UK.

Hoàng Văn Tuấn lives in Xuân Du Commune, Như Thanh District, is another outstanding example.

Born into a poor family, after graduating from university, Tuấn returned to his hometown to work for the provincial youth union.

Tuấn realised that the province had strengths in peach cultivation and high technology could be applied in peach production.

In 2017, Tuấn decided to start a business and was supported by the provincial youth union to borrow VNĐ150 million ($6,500) from the start-up programme. He set up a model of planting Xuân Du peach trees in combination with grapes and rau má (centella asiatica) for export.

When he first started his business, he faced many difficulties. Many tree varieties died, but he persisted in buying more varieties to replant.

With perseverance and a spirit of inquisitiveness, he overcame difficulties, growing varieties of plants, breeding poultry and eventually earning a high income.

Now he has two hectares of peach trees, 5,000sq.m of grapes and centella asiatica for export, 800 chickens. They bring him an income of VNĐ400 million ($17,500) per year, creating jobs for seven workers with a salary of VNĐ4 million ($175) per person per month.

Trần Tiến Hưng, deputy secretary of Như Thanh District Youth Union, said the province allocated to Như Thanh District more than VNĐ2.3 billion ($100,000) to 34 union members for economic development.

In general, youth's economic development models give good results. 

Phùng Tố Linh, deputy secretary of Thanh Hóa Province Youth Union, said that the union determined that supporting young people to start a business was the focus of their work.

The provincial youth union will continue to promote education about start-up, support training and transfer new and advanced technology in production to young people.

The youth union will also organise annual competitions of ideas for start-ups among youth union members, introduce typical economic development models for young people to follow, motivate young people to develop the economy and help them get rich in their homeland, she said. — VNS