The first enterprise to close the process of producing and trading pearls

In the travel itinerary, discovering the amazing beauty of Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh), there is an address not to be missed for visitors, which is the pearl farms belonging to Pearl Joint Stock Company Ha Long . Coming here, visitors will be immersed in the fresh air and wonderful scenery of nature, witness and experience the elaborate stages of pearl culture.

Elaborate pearl culture

Leading the delegation to visit the pearl farm, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Huong - Director of Ha Long Pearl Joint Stock Company told about the process of developing the Ha Long Pearl brand of the enterprise over the past 10 years.

From the Vietnam-Japan pearl joint venture started in the 90s until the husband and wife took over from a Japanese partner in 2009, they have gradually realized the dream of building a Vietnamese pearl brand for their customers. Ha Long pearl.

According to Ms. Huong, from 2009 and earlier, the Company's pearl products were mainly exported raw to the Japanese market, but the economic value was low, contributing to the local budget not much. When processed raw jade is transferred from Japan to Vietnam, the price is quite high, not everyone can buy it. In addition, Quang Ninh's pearl products no longer have their own brand. Stemming from that, right after the establishment of the company, she and her husband began to go into making jewelry products from jade.

"Pearl is a product of nature, but unlike other pearls, pearls are produced from living things. My husband and I are inherently attached and grown up from the reality of pearl culture. I am fortunate to work and learn from the Japanese experience in pearl culture and also briefly went to Japan to learn pearl processing.

In addition, my husband is a well-trained person in Japan with a specialty in pearl culture. He has accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience when working with a team of Japanese experts. Since then, he has imparted on-the-job technical training to the staff. In addition, every year the Company has sent excellent employees to study in Japan the culture and processing of pearls. Therefore, our work is also progressing quite well," Ms. Huong confided.

Talking about her work, she said, her son growing up, becoming an adult, undergoing artificial jade implantation is a natural process. Human impact is only 10-15% when collecting, cleaning, and implanting pearls for pearls - like a surgeon, the worker must be very well trained, by transplanting the nucleus to the son. Being able to live and creating gems is a very difficult technique, if not done well, the son can push the nucleus out or possibly die.

In order to harvest 3-9mm Akoya mussels from adult Martensi mussels, since the kernel is implanted in it, the mussels need 24 months to secrete calcium, encasing the kernel in layers. and create gems. After taking the pearl, the son also ends the life process, but every product from the son has its own value, nothing is left behind: Pearls for jewelry; mussel meat is processed into dishes with unique and delicious flavors; Mussel shells are used to make handicraft products… Even when they are alive, mussels eat only plankton, seaweed and are a good water purifier, purifying the flow.

"The process of processing, transplanting cells, artificially implanting pearls, caring for pearls until selecting, processing and crafting products of Ha Long pearls requires workers to be very skillful, elaborate and meticulous. The farm is located in the middle of the sea with countless risks of natural disasters, there was a time when storms and winds leveled the raft system, because of not much experience at sea, then empty-handed, became a debtor... But also because of passion. With passion, enthusiasm and local attention, with the encouragement of friends, we continued to stand up," Huong recalled.

Affirming the Ha Long Pearl brand

With the concern of creating and affirming the Ha Long Pearl brand in the domestic and international markets, for nearly 10 years, Ha Long Pearl Joint Stock Company has changed its strategy, applied science and technology to its customers. technology into production, not only artificial reproduction to create seed, but also complete the stage of culture, processing and trading of pearl products, forming the first closed process in Vietnam on raising mussels for breeding jade .

"Aware of science and technology associated with branding, the Company has actively applied quality management systems such as 5S, CRM, ISO 9000 to improve the efficiency of production, business and productivity activities. The application of quality management systems has contributed to improving productivity by 15-20%, making production and business activities more efficient, reducing costs, and enhancing value. product.

In addition, the Company has inherited and applied advanced culture techniques from Japanese experts, successfully built the process of artificial reproduction, collection and breeding of rare mussel species. The company's products are appreciated by experts for their high purity, thick mother-of-pearl coating, many luxurious and attractive natural colors such as gold, lapis lazuli, cherry pink, mercury gray..." , Mrs. Huong said happily.

As a result, pearls grown in Quang Ninh waters are no longer exported to Japan as raw products, and then returned to Vietnam as well as to the world with Japanese brands. Instead, Ha Long Pearl products have their own brand.

In 2015, pearl products of Ha Long Pearl Joint Stock Company were recognized as OCOP products of Ha Long City; in 2017 achieved 5-star OCOP product and is a unique tourism product of the province, making an impression on domestic and foreign tourists.

Ha Long pearl products and products made from pearls of Ha Long Pearl Company were selected by Quang Ninh province as one of six products to build a key provincial-level and level-oriented product chain. countries, exporting to Japan and some other countries in the world.

Currently, Ha Long Pearl Joint Stock Company has 2 pearl farming areas of more than 50 hectares in Tung Sau area on Ha Long Bay and in Vong Vieng area. Here, in addition to producing pearl culture, the company also displays and trades products made from pearls.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Huong said that in the coming time, the company will continue to invest in new equipment to expand the scale of farming and production. Along with that, focus on applying science and technology to processing and culturing to bring to the market more quality products with better designs and colors.

Source: Viet Cuong - Tien Thanh - nongnghiep.vn