Son La has 216 fruit growing area codes, of which 200 codes serve export with a total area of ​​nearly 3,000 hectares. Photo:Van Ngoc

Son La has many advantages in soil and climate to develop various types of crops.fruit treeand industrial crops. This season, fruit trees in Son La are in harvest season. The Yen Chau mango gardens are full of fruit, the Song Ma longan is about to enter season or the purple-red Moc Chau plum hills, just hearing the name is enough to evoke the rich flavor of the specialty.

Over the past 10 years, Son La has consistently implemented the policy of developing fruit trees on sloping land. Tens of thousands of hectares of sloping land producing inefficient, low-yield, low-value crops have been converted to growing fruit trees with high economic value, meeting market demand, opening up a new direction in sustainable agricultural production. Organic production methods, crop rotation, and the use of native varieties have also been maintained and promoted, combined with traditional practices to create safe, delicious and distinctive fruit products.

A grapefruit garden of a farmer in Son La is intensively cultivated, applying grafting techniques, improving varieties, and producing according to VietGAP standards. Photo:Van Ngoc

According to Ms. Cam Thi Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province, fruit trees are a key crop group, playing an important role in the local agricultural economic structure. From 2016 to now, the whole province has converted and newly planted nearly 62,000 hectares of fruit trees, bringing in a production value of 150 - 300 million VND/ha/year.

With terrain conditions mainly consisting of steep hills, Son La will continue to effectively utilize land potential to expand fruit tree areas such as mango, longan, plum, avocado, passion fruit, etc., creating a stable source of income for the people.

Currently, the area of ​​fruit trees and hawthorn trees in the provinceSon Lareached 85,000 hectares, an increase of 219% compared to 2016. Output also increased sharply, reaching an impressive growth rate of 332%. This result comes from the process of converting crop structure on more than 33 thousand hectares of sloping land, infertile land and ineffective farming areas.

Song Ma longan is famous for its delicious taste and thick flesh, and is favored by consumers. Photo:Van Ngoc

“In addition to stabilizing and expanding the cultivation area, we will continue to promote scientific and technical solutions to improve productivity, quality and value of fruit products, especially organic farming, reasonable use of fertilizers and promoting deep processing.

In particular, the province will strengthen links with processing factories, export enterprises and distribution systems to ensure stable output foragricultural products. Brand building, geographical indications and trade promotion continue to be invested in, thereby creating competitive momentum for Son La fruits in domestic and foreign markets," said Ms. Cam Thi Phong.

Ms. Cam Thi Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province. Photo:Quynh Chi.

One of the strategies prioritized by Son La is to put people at the center, paying special attention to vulnerable groups including women and ethnic minorities. Son La is coordinating with international organizations and specialized units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to organize training courses on farming skills, production management, and post-harvest preservation.

“When women generate their own income and build stable livelihoods, they will be more confident in expressing their views, raising their voices and inspiring other women in the community. Therefore, we always encourage the establishment of women-led cooperatives, thereby creating conditions for them to promote their role in production, while promoting gender equality as well as sustainable socio-economic development in the highlands,” said Ms. Cam Thi Phong.