Le Van Son, a 35-year-old resident of Cam Tu Commune in Cam Thuy District, said his family has been making charcoal for many years. They can produce about 6-7 tons of charcoal per month.
After the fruits are harvested, the branches of longan, litchi and others trees are cut into short logs.
After filling the oven with logs, the oven mouth will be filled with brick and mud, except for a small opening to put firewood in.
The wood will smolder for 12-15 days. Then, charcoal producer will completely seal off the stove and let the wood sit for another week.
Making charcoal is a tough job that requires a lot of hard labor.
Even though this job helps many families make a living, it is very harmful for people's health, since they have to work in a dusty environment.
Like Trinh Thi Phong, 54 years old, people wear gloves and masks to help protect themselves.
Making charcoal is the main means of livelihood for many families in the area.
After they are sorted, charcoal sticks are stacked up and ready to be delivered. Restaurants in Hanoi and neighboring areas will buy the charcoal at VND7,000 ($0.30) per kilogram and use it for cooking.