With abundant orders, many handicraft manufacturers in Da Nang, for the time being, are focusing on promoting production and export activities, aimed at bringing great revenue and creating jobs for locals.

The export of handicrafts has prospered, contributing to creating jobs for locals. IN THE PHOTO: Decorative furniture products made from rattan and bamboo at the An Khe Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative. Photo: HOANG LINH

In the first months of 2022, the bustling production atmosphere was recorded at the Da Nang Forest Products Export JSC, located in the Cam Le District-based Hoa Cam Industrial Park, an enterprise specialising in the production of wooden handicraft products for outdoor use.

The company’s workers are working urgently to keep up with all the orders from their partners until October this year.

Director of the company Huynh Trinh revealed that his company currently had more than 10 stable partners in the European market with a huge demand for products. To fulfill all orders, the company has been equipped with some new production lines, and its workers have to work overtime.

After two years of proactively responding to COVID-19 to maintain the supply chain, the reputation of the business in the market has been increased.

On the basis of analysis and forecast of market demand as well as the developments of the pandemic at home and abroad, Mr. Huynh Trinh said that his company strived to achieve about US$4 million in revenue by the end of the year, double the figure in 2021.

Belonging to the group of Da Nang’s leading prestigious exporters, the Hai Chau District-headquartered Duy Thanh Handicraft Export Co., Ltd is recording flourishing business activities as it is seeing a surge in demand from its such main markets as Europe, America, and Japan.

Handicraft production is also the strength of many cooperatives in the city, including the An Khe Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative in Thanh Khe District. 90% of the cooperative’s products are supplied to the domestic market, whilst the remaining 10% is exported to the markets of South Korea, Hungary, Iran, and the US. The company creates jobs and income for nearly 80 permanent workers and 120 part-time others.

Currently, the cooperative maintains a factory for producing raw materials (rattan, rattan fiber products) and another one for making furniture from rattan and bamboo.

The cooperative is supplying rattan fibers for traditional craft villages and rattan-based product production facilities in neighbouring localities such as Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, etc.,. Meanwhile, the cooperative-produced rattan furniture is being provided for hotels, resorts and restaurants across the country with key items such as cabinets, tables, chairs, etc.

Talking about the cooperative’s business plan set for 2022, Mr. Nguyen Hoang, Chairman of the Board of Directors cum Director of the An Khe Rattan and Bamboo Cooperative, said that from the beginning of the year, his cooperative has focused on making and exporting bamboo rocking chairs to South Korea.

For furniture production, the company will pay special attention to promoting production of latticework as well as high-end products due to huge domestic demand. "In the coming time, we will further promote the e-commerce trading channel to expand our export market" emphasised Mr. Hoang.

Over the past time, the Centre for Industry and Trade Promotion under the Da Nang Department of Industry and Trade has given active support for businesses and production establishments, including handicraft manufacturers, to innovate technology, connect trade activities, develop markets, and stimulate shopping demand with the aim to help them drive their post-pandemic production recovery in the new normal.

Most notably, since 2021, the Centre for Industry and Trade Promotion has provided financial support for rural industrial enterprises and establishments to innovate technologies, and improve production capacity, labour productivity and product quality.

With the active support from functional sectors as well as the signing of many trade agreements between Viet Nam and foreign countries, it is hoped that handicrafts will have great export revenue and high-profit margin, thereby contributing to creating jobs and increasing income for local people.

Reporting by HOANG LINH - Translating by M.DUNG