At the press conference introducing the 20th Vietnam Craft Village Fair held in Hanoi on September 20, Director Nguyen Minh Tien of the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in recent craft village fairs, the Ministry along with local authorities frequently integrates the exhibition of craft village products and OCOP (One Commune One Product Program) items with competitions showcasing the talents of skilled artisans and craftsmen.
The difference in recent competitions is the increasing number of products with practical applications. According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Tien, this trend reflects that artisans in craft villages have become more attuned to contemporary demands, demonstrating adaptability and creating products that meet consumer needs while also being highly marketable. Previous years' craft village product competitions featured identical objects brought by craftsmen.
For instance, if it is wooden products, every village is just a trio of Tam Da while if it is ceramics, it is all about unique vases. Artisans had to hire trucks to transport sets of products to the venue of competitions and fairs; transportation fees are expensive, but just a few people buy them at the exhibition. Meanwhile, little products that can be packed, placed in bags, and given as gifts are extremely popular among consumers, according to Mr. Tien.
Deputy Head Ha Tien Nghi of the Hanoi Rural Development Department said that Hanoi is about to organize a festival on agricultural products and craft village products in November 2024. Moreover, the capital city at the same time will launch a contest for unique craft village products. To prevent the inclusion of overly complex and large-scale projects in the event, artisans are urged to concentrate on more practical items.
This year, Hanoi's criteria for awarding prizes are that the work is compact – sophisticated; plus, products have little environmental impact and meet the needs of giving gifts to tourists.
Supporting this trend, Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Hoang Yen of the Department of Economic Cooperation and Rural Development said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to launch a contest to create craft village products as gifts.
