An interview with Chairman of Vietnam Tea Association (Vitas) Nguyen Kim Phong
It has been a long time for me to see Mr Nguyen Kim Phong again. He still preserves an elegant and strong look of an old man though he has reached the rare age of seventy. He does not like to be written about and I have never put down any word about this veteran in the tea world of Vietnam for more than a decade of acquaintance. However, when being asked about his memories of the incoming tea culture event in Bao Loc, Lam Dong, he becomes so excited…
I. A brave breakthrough
*On the occasion of the tea culture festival to be held soon in Bao Loc, Lam Dong, being one of the founders of this event could you please give us a brief review of the tea history?
It was the first time in 1998 the tea industry of Vietnam held an event of importance: "The Week of Vietnam Tea Culture" in Van Ho, Hanoi. This is the first time a technical economic industry in Vietnam "dared" to organise such an event. Many friends, even governmental institutions, suggested us not to organise in the worry of no success. Hanoi had undergone a big storm, but this festival had gathered almost all well-known tea producing localities nationwide to participate, such as Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Lam Dong, etc. Hundreds of tea produce of international and domestic sources took part in the tea week. Even products that were planted alternately with tea like pomelo and pineapple were brought to the festival for the contest. Most localities display all kinds of tea making tools from traditional ones like large flat winnowing baskets and hand-made drying ovens to modern equipment. "The Week of Tea Culture" became a forum to show off the folk culture, "the Tea culture" of localities from the singing to original produce.
*What did the first Week of Tea Culture leave in your opinion, sir?
I think the biggest success of that Week of Tea Culture is the first time Vietnamese tea producers could introduce the images about their labour achievements in the most imposing and proudest way. This was the first time tea producers from remote regions had a chance to visit the national capital and witness the modern urban life. It was the first time ever the history of Vietnam's tea was presented in details through ages from ancient to today in the most complete way.
As you know, in many mountainous provinces of "tea cradles", tea is the tree of hunger eradication and poverty alleviation but the life of tea producers used to be so strenuous. The event inflamed the pride in tea producers that helped them to strive to not only eliminate hunger but also get rich.
In 2001, "the Night of Tea and Flowers" aimed at promoting the development of Vietnam tea industry held at Youth Park, Hanoi attracted the attendance of ten thousands of international and domestic visitors. From the historical milestone of 1998 until now, seven tea culture festivals have taken place alternately along the country from Da Lat, Thai Nguyen to Ha Giang, and Bao Loc, Lam Dong in the coming time. Recently in July, on the occasion of 20th birthday anniversary of Vietnam Tea Association, "Days of Vietnam's Tea in Hanoi" has been held successfully.
In parallel with local activities, via the event "Introducing Vietnam Tea Culture Overseas" the brand of Vietnam tea has been strongly promoted all over the world from Japan and Taiwan(China) in Asia, U.K, Russia, Germany and France in Europe, the US in America, to South Africa in Africa. From these activities we have presented original and second-to-none features of Vietnam tea culture to the world.
II. The tea industry is changing every day
*Are successes from the above-mentioned events the impetus for the development of Vietnam tea industry over the past decade, sir?
From the success in 1998, we have drawn up a development strategy of tea industry and approved by the Government. Accordingly, we will have 100,000 hectares of tea trees and export 200,000 tonnes of tea by 2010. However, this plan is more successful than expected. As of 2007, there were 131,000 hectares nationwide (the figure was only 56,000 hectares in 1998). The productivity has doubled from 3.5 tonnes a hectare in 1998 to seven tonnes of fresh buds a hectare. The area of high-yield tea has raised the productivity per hectare from 17 tonnes to 35 tonnes. We have also created 47 new varieties of high quality from 17 varieties. From a country without a tea brand, the Government has developed a strategy for Vietnam tea brand name since 2004. From an unknown tea industry, Vietnam's tea has risen to the fifth rank in the world in terms of tea production and export. Now 98 countries drink and buy tea from Vietnam. From a tree of hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, tea producers have built a well-off life and got rich. Growing tea trees we create a green biological carpet to protect the climate and environment.
*Nevertheless, from the practice of Vietnamese tea industry, the producers still face a lot of difficulties. Being a person who thoroughly understands tea, which do you think is the most feasible way for the Vietnamese tea to become a key industry and the tea scent to fly far away?
As I said, the world now acknowledges Vietnam to be one of the "tea cradles" of the human beings. With favourable climate and pedological conditions, we can develop the tea industry further. However, to help Vietnam tea scent spread more charmingly and farther, I think we need the following solution:
The Government should invest a proper amount in the tea industry, varieties, and technique-science to improve the current export turnover of less than US$200 million to US$1 billion by 2020, to increase productivity of six tonnes of fresh buds to 10 tonnes a hectare. Particularly the processing phase should be equipped with modern technologies to raise the tea quality. At present, our price remains much lower than the global level (only US$1.35 a kilogramme on average in 2008), which needs to be lifted to at least US$5-6 a kilogramme in the coming years. It should be noted that there are tea brands that are sold at US$300 - 500 a kilogramme in the world. We must produce clean tea or healthy tea at any costs, which has been a global common trend.
III. Deep in memories
*In the tea world of Vietnam, you are seen as a veteran with your faith, strong attachment and rare understanding of the tea tree and Vietnam tea culture. What is your most noteworthy memory?
I have so many memories with the tea tree. I still recall the days I was with leaders of Ha Giang province to wander up hill and down dale to survey tea planting regions in mountainous precincts like Cao Bo, Lung Phin and to watch ancient tea trees in these localities. There is a variety of Tuyet San tea grown at the height of 1,800 metres above sea level with the circumference as big as two people's embrace, one tree able to give one quintal of fresh buds a pick. Here were flood days in 1972-73, we and the local people and cadre in Tran Phu, Yen Bai province crossed streams to transport tea through the flood season in service of exporting to Russia in exchange for food and weapons during the anti-American resistance.
On occasion of the incoming Week of Tea Culture to be held in Bao Loc, lam Dong, memories about this well-known tea cradle suddenly swarm in my mind. When Hanoi organised the first Week of Tea Culture in 1998, I remember clearly that the car fleet of tea enterprises from Lam Dong encountered storms and rain and got stuck in the risk of being unable to attend the tea festival. Many leaders at that time telephoned and asked me to work with functional agencies to find the way-out for the stuck car fleet from Lam Dong. During 1980s and 1990s, Mr Trung Tin, provincial party committee secretary, Mr Tam Canh, Chairman of provincial People's Committee and I, Director General of Vietnam Tea Corporation, took time to discuss about and ponder on solutions and plans to develop the tea industry in Lam Dong. I am happy that Lam Dong still leads the tea industry in Vietnam and is going to host dynamic, impressive and profound cultural days of the Vietnamese tea tree.
Thanh Tam
Vietnamese
