No one knows exactly when a stonecutting trade village was established in Hon Dat district in the Mekong delta province of Kien Giang . Stonecutting, which needs muscular strength and artistic precision, now enables them to increase productivity and income thanks to the application of machinery.
Nguyen Thanh Phuoc, one of the artisans in Tho Son commune, Hon Dat district, has more than 10 years of experience in stonecutting.
Viewing this as exhausting and unhealthy work, Phuoc bravely invested in purchasing a stonecutting machine on his own. The machine helps him create more products, mainly stone pillars, safely.
“Earlier, stonecutting without machine assistance only earned me about 80,000 - 90,000 VND a day. Now, my minimum daily income is around 100,000 VND (4.74 USD) and I can save my strength thanks to using the stonecutting machine,” said Phuoc.
Most of the artisans of the stonecutting village come from other localities, leaving their home to pursue a living.
Although stonecutting is a hard and dangerous job, local artisans can only earn an average income of 200,000 – 300,000 VND (around 14 USD) per day from their work.
Stone pillars serve as necessary tools for construction and business of people in the southern region.
Demand for these products tends to increase in both Kien Giang and surrounding provinces. Thus, it is vital for local artisans to further apply new equipment in their production, with the aim of better meeting customers’ requirements.-VNA
