Ba So villagers are busy around the clock to satisfy the festive season’s increasing demands for flat rice flakes. Truong Thi Di, whose family has been involved in producing green flat rice flakes for 3 generations, said this job is not difficult but it requires much effort. Di said her family can produce up to 90 kg of flat rice flakes everyday and this job has significantly improved her family’s living conditions. Di said: "I’ve produced green flat rice flakes since I was 18. On average, we have to grind up to 60 kg of sticky rice a day. In the past, green flat rice flakes were much sought after during the Ok Om Bok festival only, but now, traders come to us to buy flat rice flakes all year round to sell in Soc Trang, Vinh Long, and Ho Chi Minh City."

Making flat rice flakes requires much effort

Ba So villagers say they have to work hard to produce flat rice flakes which are fragrant and good quality for sale. A group of 4 people have to work around 9 hours a day to produce approximately 90 kg of flat rice flakes which would be sold at 20 USD per kilo. Thach Miel has produced flat rice flakes for 30 years. He said: "I often work from 12 pm until 8am to pound sticky rice to make flat rice flakes. By doing so, I can do other farm work during day time when I’m not tired and don’t have to go elsewhere to make ends meet."

From just around 20 households involved in making flat rice flakes 10 years ago, Cau Ngang district’s Nhi Truong commune now has nearly 100 households engaged in this trade, mainly in Ba So and Tua hamlets.

Flat green rice-flake of Ba So is made from fresh and delicious glutinous rice. Although people in Ba So have special techniques to preserve the fresh harvested glutinous rice to make flat green rice flakes all year round, they agreed that these rice flakes are best produced in Ok Om Bok Festival when the rice harvest begins. Thach Ngoc Nghi, Deputy Chairman of Nhi Truong communal People’s Committee, said: "The trade is growing very well and has brought the local people much better living conditions. The local authorities are planning to create a strong trademark for Ba So flat rice flakes to increase the local products’ competitiveness and boost their economic values, in addition to applying modern technologies in production."

Ok Om Bok Festival in Tra Vinh province

Being popularly known as special offerings to the Moon Genie at Ok Om Bok Festival, flat rice flakes have become a special delicacy of Tra Vinh province, which is promised to significantly improving local economy.