Centuries-Old Rice Paper Craft Village Along the Hau River

Nestled beside the gentle Hau River, the tradition of crafting rice paper in Thuận Hưng Ward (Thốt Nốt District, Can Tho) has been renowned for centuries.

Centuries-Old Rice Paper Craft Village Along the Hau River

The craft of making rice paper provides stable employment for hundreds, even passing down through generations. Nowadays, Thuận Hưng rice paper has expanded far beyond the boundaries of Can Tho, transported by trading boats to be consumed in various provinces across the Mekong Delta or even as far as Ho Chi Minh City.

Especially during the year-end season, with high demand, the craft of producing rice paper becomes vibrant and bustling. Along the inter-communal roads or National Highway 91 passing through Thuận Hưng Ward, one can easily spot rows of rice paper drying closely together.

Crafting rice paper is an ancient profession that attracts a significant labor force in this area. Rice paper involves multiple stages, and nowadays, machinery has partially replaced human labor. However, sun-drying the rice paper remains irreplaceable, as it is a crucial step that determines its texture and softness.

Initially, residents must carefully choose high-quality, sticky rice, soak it in water, and then use a grinding machine to create a water-flour mixture.

Currently, some small-scale producers still manually coat the rice paper alongside using a machine for the process.

Large-scale producers use machines with expansive rollers to coat the rice paper. After the coating, the rice paper is dried before being cut into various shapes according to specifications.

The current selling price for rice paper is approximately between 60 to 65 thousand dong per unit (100 pieces). In addition to the common rice paper used in meals, many households here also produce specialty rice papers with sesame or mixed with coconut pulp at higher prices and better quality.

In Thuận Hưng, there are around 50 rice paper mills, with over a hundred individuals engaged in this profession. These mills operate year-round, but during Tet, production capacity usually has to increase two to three times the usual daily output due to higher demand. Some mills started hiring more workers a month ago, building up reserves to meet the Tet market demand, as rice paper can be stored for quite a long time.

Compared to some other rice paper craft villages in the Western region, Thuận Hưng's rice paper stands out for being thicker, more elastic, and more fragrant. The rice paper here can be rolled with various ingredients or baked, mixed for consumption.

Rows of drying rice paper lie side by side along the Thom Rom Canal, a branch of the Hau River flowing through this area. Towards the year-end, virtually every available space with sunlight is utilized for the rice paper drying process. After coating, the rice paper is typically sun-dried for 2-3 days to meet quality standards.

As reported by Thế Giới trẻ

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour