Te Rau is native rice varieties, belongs to ethnic minorities in Lai Chau. The rice has outstanding properties such as white, and long big rice round. It is delicious, good smell, moderate flexibility after cooking. Thus, its price is always more expensive than other rice varieties.

However, due to traditional cultivation and without careful selection, therefore, the Te Rau rice variety is more and more degraded, separated by various generations. It doesn’t stay its own outstanding properties which lead to low pests and productivity.

For that reasons, from 2012 until now, Lai Chau DOST associated with Experimental and Vocational Training Centre of Hanoi University of Agriculture have researched, recovered and developed Te Rau special rice varieties through the project of “Recovery and development of Te Rau rice varieties in Phong Tho, Lai Chau province”.

The project is carried out within 3 years (2012-2015), production status survey of Te Rau rice varieties in Phong Tho district; assessing quality of rice, building an intensive farming process, implementing recovery model of Te Rau rice varieties; expanding in key communes of Phong Tho, Muong So, Nam Xe and Khong Lao district.

The recovery of Te Rau rice varieties partially contributes to conservation of precious gene resources, with original native properties which enhance production development, and raise incomes for farmers. The project is being implementing in the upcoming stages.