Le Trong Duc and his wife Pham Thi Cham turned a VND500 million ($19,000) investment into a mushroom farm that now earns about VND300 million ($11,500) profit each year. Their story shows how a modest start can become a reliable source of income.

After nearly ten years at the Mushroom Research and Development Center, Duc acquired deep knowledge of oyster‑mushroom cultivation. Confident in the commercial potential, he returned to his hometown in Ha Tỉnh with his wife to apply that expertise.

The couple operates a 1,000‑square‑metre facility that yields 100–200 kg of oyster mushrooms daily, roughly 30 tonnes per year. They source sawdust, rice straw and other agricultural by‑products locally, turning waste into substrate. By preparing the bags, inoculating them and harvesting the crop themselves, they keep production costs low.

Daily sales generate around VND30,000 ($1.15) per kilogram, and the farm now produces more than VND1 billion ($38,000) in revenue. After expenses, the annual profit reaches about VND300 million ($11,500). Because demand already exceeds supply, the couple plans to add another 5,000 square metres to boost output.

Their experience demonstrates that a small capital outlay, combined with specialised know‑how and locally available resources, can create a profitable agribusiness. Expanding the farm could also create jobs and meet the growing market demand.