Numerous trade promotion activities are being carried out to advertise products to consumers nationwide. (Photo: DDCI Son La)

Taking proactive steps from the source will create momentum for agricultural products to break through.

In recent years, agricultural exports have become one of the strategic pillars of Son La province. The province has clearly identified that to reach the global market, it cannot rely on short-term gains, but must start from the root, meaning from production planning, organizing growing areas, upgrading quality, to building a transparent traceability management system.

According to the Son La Department of Industry and Trade, Son La aims to achieve an agricultural export turnover of 35.2 million USD in 2025. To realize this goal, the province has established a provincial steering committee on the production, processing, consumption, and export of agricultural products; and organizes regular meetings to closely monitor seasonal conditions, production volume, border gates, and consumption markets.

Currently, Son La province has planned over 85,000 hectares of fruit trees and hawthorn trees, with an expected production of over 510,000 tons in 2025. Many of these growing areas have been granted export-standard codes. By the end of the first quarter of 2025, the province had 218 registered growing areas covering over 3,100 hectares, mainly concentrated in Moc Chau, Song Ma, Mai Son, and Yen Chau districts. These are essential "agricultural passports" for conquering demanding markets such as the US, EU, Japan, and South Korea.

In addition, the province also focuses on developing new cooperative models that connect farmers with processing and export businesses. These cooperatives not only help coordinate stable raw material areas but also participate directly in the preliminary processing, preservation, and traceability processes.

Simultaneously, one of the biggest bottlenecks for agricultural exports has always been the sale of fresh, raw products with low added value, making them vulnerable to price manipulation during market fluctuations. Son La is gradually addressing this issue by promoting deep processing.

During the period 2021-2024, the province attracted 11 investment projects in the agricultural processing sector, including 3 new projects to be implemented in 2024 alone with a total capital of over 630 billion VND. A prime example is the Doveco Son La Fruit and Vegetable Processing Center - one of the leading modern factories in the northern mountainous region. With a modern canning line from Tetra Pak (Sweden), Doveco not only processes mangoes, longan, passion fruit, etc., but also exports its products to more than 20 countries.

Notably, this factory has signed off-take contracts with many local cooperatives, committing to purchasing up to 80,000 tons of raw materials annually. This close collaboration between the enterprise and farmers not only ensures a sustainable market for the produce but also helps increase income for people in the highlands, mitigating the problem of "bumper harvests leading to price drops."

The province currently has 17 large-scale processing plants and over 500 standard-compliant preliminary processing and packaging facilities. Products are no longer limited to dried fruits, juices, and longan, but are being upgraded in terms of packaging, design, and traceability to better meet the requirements of the international market.

Connecting markets, unlocking global potential.

Besides investing in production, Son La province places special emphasis on trade promotion – a key link for agricultural products to reach the global market. The province has proactively organized dozens of trade promotion delegations both domestically and internationally, participated in international agricultural trade fairs, and connected with supermarket and shopping mall systems in major cities.

In particular, the province has pioneered the implementation of "Son La Agricultural Products Week" events in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, etc., to promote products to consumers nationwide. Many of the province's OCOP products, such as Yen Chau round mangoes, Moc Chau plums, Song Ma longan, and Mai Son passion fruit, have found long-term export partners thanks to these direct networking events.

Not lagging behind the digital transformation wave, Son La has implemented numerous training courses on livestreaming and selling on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Zalo, and YouTube. Many cooperatives and production households have achieved initial success by combining online sales with official exports, expanding more channels for consuming agricultural products beyond the border.

Currently, Son La's agricultural products are present in more than 20 markets worldwide, including demanding markets such as the US, EU, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and UAE. In the Chinese market alone, the province has 12 officially exported products, with an average annual increase of 15-20%.

One of the key foundations for sustainable exports is the logistics system and processing infrastructure. Son La has recognized this and is gradually investing in a comprehensive system.

The province prioritizes the construction of standardized processing centers, cold storage facilities, and agricultural product collection points. Simultaneously, it coordinates with neighboring provinces and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to share information on customs clearance schedules and support businesses and cooperatives in proactively arranging shipments.

The Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection regularly coordinates inspections and monitoring of agricultural product quality before export. At the same time, the province is also perfecting an electronic traceability system to ensure transparency and enhance the reputation of Son La agricultural products in the international market.

In addition, the province encourages businesses to invest further in cold storage transportation systems and logistics routes connecting with seaports and international airports, in order to shorten delivery times and reduce transportation costs – one of the key factors for competitiveness in agricultural exports.

Despite numerous challenges regarding infrastructure, capital, human resources, and markets, Son La possesses crucial foundations to continue its journey of expanding the reach of its agricultural products. Lessons learned from the success in exporting mangoes, longan, passion fruit, and plums will serve as a springboard for new products such as coffee, bananas, avocados, pineapples, and high-quality tea.