The journey of a farmer bringing Vietnamese banana trees far and wide

In the early days, Thanh Binh Cooperative only had a few dozen hectares of bananas, but with determination, perseverance and vision, Mr. Hung brought the Cooperative to develop strongly, becoming one of the typical agricultural cooperative models of Dong Nai province.

Up to now, Thanh Binh Cooperative has built a production chain of over 300 hectares of tissue culture bananas, applying safe production processes according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. Bananas of the Cooperative are currently regularly exported to demanding markets such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Beijing (China)... Each month, the Cooperative exports about 600 tons of fresh bananas, bringing a stable source of income for members and local workers.

Mr. Ly Minh Hung (in black shirt) instructs workers on standards for packaging bananas for export. Photo: Phuoc Tho

According to Mr. Ly Minh Hung, the success of Thanh Binh Cooperative comes from knowing how to connect and effectively operate the relationship between 6 parties: farmers, the state, businesses, scientists , banks and distributors. Thanks to that close connection, the Cooperative can be proactive in production, access capital, apply science and technology, and at the same time expand the market for agricultural products.

Mr. Hung shared: “The resolutions of the Party and the State have created a clear foundation for the collective economy . The important thing is that we must know how to operate effectively, thoroughly, and change our thinking to improve our own values and lives.”

What is admirable about this farmer is his spirit of continuous learning. Despite his old age, he still spends about three hours a day learning English, which makes it easier to communicate with foreign partners. When preparing to export goods to Azerbaijan, where Russian is used, he is also learning a new foreign language.

“Farming now requires not only labor but also knowledge. If we do not study and do not understand the market, it will be very difficult to integrate,” Mr. Hung said.

Mr. Ly Minh Hung (second from left) takes souvenir photos with foreign partners. Photo: NVCC

Not only exporting fresh bananas, Mr. Ly Minh Hung also pioneered the development of a circular agricultural model, utilizing by-products in production to increase value. He realized that each harvest season, hundreds of tons of banana stems were discarded, which was a waste, so he invested in technology to dry tissue cultured banana stems, exporting them to the US, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, France, etc. Each month, the cooperative exports about 30 tons of dried banana stems, bringing in a revenue of more than 600 million VND, while helping people increase an additional 25-28 million VND per hectare from by-products. This is a sustainable direction, both increasing farmers' income and contributing to reducing agricultural waste and protecting the environment.

Mr. Ly Minh Hung guides people in separating banana stems in the garden. Photo: Quang Phat

Mr. Ly Minh Hung introduces food trays made from dried banana stems. Photo: Nhat Phuong

Mr. Hung also makes full use of the bananas that are discarded by people after harvest. Every month during the peak banana harvest season, he buys about 900 tons of bananas, brings them to the factory for processing, and dries them using modern technology, while the banana peels are composted to make organic fertilizer. Thanks to that, the cooperative's dried banana products are not only available in the domestic market but are also exported to Russia, Korea, the US and many other countries.

Utilizing drifted bananas not only helps reduce agricultural waste but also brings stable income to hundreds of banana growing households in the region, while demonstrating a sustainable direction - circular production in agriculture. Not only helping farmers feel secure in production, Thanh Binh Cooperative also creates jobs for nearly 100 seasonal workers, with an income of 9-15 million VND per month.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, a worker at a banana processing factory, shared: "Working here is cool and the job is stable. If you are a little diligent, you can earn a few hundred thousand a day, enough to cover expenses and have some left over."

Workers at a banana processing factory. Photo: Quang Phat

Thanks to the right orientation and innovative thinking, by the third quarter of 2025, Thanh Binh Cooperative had exceeded its revenue target by more than 200% compared to the plan at the beginning of the year. “The market is not difficult, but its requirements are getting higher and higher. To conquer it, we must change first - change the way we think, the way we do things and dare to step out of our comfort zone” - Mr. Hung shared.

Evaluating the model of Mr. Ly Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Dong Nai province Nguyen Van Giang said: "Through the emulation movement of good farmers, many typical examples have appeared, including Mr. Ly Minh Hung. Thanh Binh Cooperative has linked with farmers, businesses and input suppliers, output consumers, forming an effective value chain for banana trees in the province."

With those contributions, Mr. Hung was honored as an Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer in 2023, the only face of Dong Nai to receive this title. Thanh Binh Cooperative was also selected as one of 63 outstanding cooperatives nationwide in 2022, winning the "Cooperative Star" award in 2024. Mr. Hung, during his dedication, has been awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee 4 times, and will continue to be honored at the Dong Nai Provincial Patriotic Emulation Congress in 2025 with the title of an excellent farmer in production and business.

From a simple farmer, Mr. Ly Minh Hung has become a pioneer in bringing Vietnamese bananas to the international market, opening a new direction for Dong Nai farmers. His story is not only the journey of a good producer, but also a vivid demonstration of the spirit of innovation, integration and the desire to get rich legitimately on his homeland.

Le Thuy - Dang Hung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202510/hanh-trinh-cua-nguoi-nong-dan-dua-cay-chuoi-viet-vuon-xa-0500903/