Still look like a kid

In Saigon, the lantern streets in District 5 have become a lively hub of activity half a month before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which peaks on September 29 this year. Families from all corners of Ho Chi Minh City converge on streets like Luong Nhu Hoc, Phu Dinh, and Lao Tu. Among these, Phu Dinh walking street takes the spotlight as the epicenter of lantern shopping. Phu Dinh and Luong Nhu Hoc streets are renowned for their wide assortment of traditional handmade lanterns. These lanterns, adorned with intricate designs ranging from boats to dragons, fish and butterflies, are predominantly crafted from red cellophane. LED lights have replaced traditional candles, enhancing safety while preserving durability. These enchanting lanterns vary in size, from modest 20-centimeter versions to creations exceeding 1 meter, with prices ranging from VND20,000 to VND500,000 (US$0.80 to $20). Rabbit and pig lanterns, housed in bamboo … [Read more...] about Mid-Autumn magic hits Vietnamese cities in pre-festival spirit

Farmers are having to adapt to new methods, and experts are here to assist, photo Le Toan At last week’s seminar on Vietnam-Japan cooperation on green growth in Hanoi, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said that Vietnam-Japan cooperation in agriculture could double or even triple in the coming decades. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, general director of the MARD’s International Cooperation Department, highlighted some key areas for Vietnam, including improving plant varieties, high-tech production and processing, forest protection, capital investment and mitigating the effects of natural disasters. Some localities in the country have shown great interest in adopting Japan’s high school agriculture education model, which aims to provide agriculture knowledge to students along with high school-level general education. The model, which has been piloted in the northern province of Nam Dinh, has proven popular with students from across the country. … [Read more...] about Japan at fore of experience in agriculture

Packaging coconut for export. Việt Nam achieved a coconut export turnover of US$700 million in 2022. —VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Phúc Hậu Việt Nam is optimistic about increasing its coconut exports as several countries are welcoming Vietnamese coconuts. The US, Bangladesh, and Israel have opened their markets to fresh coconuts from Việt Nam. Additionally, Vietnamese durian products will not be subjected to quotas when exported to Japan and South Korea. There's a possibility that China will soon officially permit the import of coconuts from Việt Nam. These favourable shifts in the export markets are motivating coconut farmers to enhance their plantations and collaborate with enterprises to boost coconut exports. Following the US's green light to import Vietnamese coconuts, Nguyễn Đình Tùng, the general director of Vina T&T Group Import-Export Company, reported that they have already shipped four containers of the fruit to the US market. Tùng stated that Việt Nam possesses … [Read more...] about Việt Nam sees many opportunities in coconut exports