The early morning in the Northwest highlands is truly magical: the sunlight is still shimmering, and the morning mist gently caresses the lush green tea leaves. In some places, it's the verdant Shan snow tea buds stretching straight up the hillside. In other places, it's the tea plantations nestled amidst verdant villages, where families of ethnic minorities have spent their lives making a living from the tea hills. Whatever the product, for Son La, tea has been and continues to be one of the two harmonious notes in the symphony of rural livelihoods and culture.

 

With over 5,800 hectares of tea plantations currently in production, including the rare Shan Tuyet tea region and scattered tea-growing villages along the border and in ethnic minority communities, Son La is writing a story of transformation: from fragrant flowers and exotic plants to warm homes, from a comforting cup of tea attracting tourists to the villages, from an invitation to "sit down and have tea" to establishing a local tea brand.

 

In the Moc Chau plateau and surrounding areas, ancient Shan Snow tea is not a mass-produced agricultural product but a natural heritage right in the heart of the community. These Shan tea trees, over a hundred years old, have gnarled trunks covered in moss, thick leaves, and a uniquely fragrant tea aroma – rich, deep, yet delicate, retaining the layered flavors of the mountains. Each tea bud is the culmination of the cold climate, the swirling mist, and the mineral-rich soil. Picking a few buds at the beginning of the season, drying them by hand, and infusing the tea using traditional techniques, the tea, poured into the cup, steam rising, allows the drinker to immediately feel the "spirit of the mountains" intertwined in each fragrant, sweet aftertaste.

 

Shan Tuyet tea is a native, eutrophic variety that thrives in ancient forests and is closely intertwined with the lives of the ethnic minorities in the area. The Mong and Thai villages in the highlands have lived their lives connected to these ancient tea trees through stories passed down through generations: people traditionally harvested tea buds for medicinal purposes, used tea bags for wedding ceremonies, and consumed it in the fields and by the streams. Preserving these Shan tea gardens not only preserves rare plant genes but also safeguards the customs, rituals, and cultural identity of the community.

 

What could be more heartwarming than being offered a cup of Shan tea amidst ancient trees on a cool day? Visitors can wear traditional ethnic clothing, listen to the sound of the flute, sip their tea, and let their eyes wander as they listen to the folk tales told by the locals. It's all about scenery, culture, and livelihood. When these ancient tea buds are respected and given a place in community tourism, the original soul of the mountain is preserved.

 

To effectively exploit the value of ancient tea trees, businesses in Son La have been implementing various solutions to link and market products, creating branded, high-value products. According to the Northwest Tea and Specialty Company, surveys have shown that Ta Xua is one of the locations with high-quality Shan Tuyet tea leaves. Therefore, the company has built a processing and production facility for tea products in Ta Xua commune. Currently, processed products made from Shan Tuyet tea buds are very diverse, ranging from traditional green tea to fermented tea products.

 

Among these, fermented teas such as cake tea, fruit tea, and white tea are the company's main products, favored by customers both domestically and internationally. Because these teas have a long shelf life, their quality improves with age. Currently, the company purchases an average of 50 tons of fresh Shan Tuyet tea buds annually at an average price of nearly 80,000 VND/kg.

 

In Chieng Son commune, Chieng Ve Tea Joint Stock Company has proactively provided fertilizers to tea growers; encouraged households to utilize by-products from farming and livestock raising in production to reduce costs. In addition, technical staff are sent to inspect, supervise, guide, and transfer technology to help tea growers increase productivity and quality, ensuring a better life for workers and tea-growing households.

 

The company currently maintains a raw material area of ​​over 300 hectares in Chieng Son commune, primarily cultivating the Shan Tuyet tea variety. The company consistently maintains production and ensures the purchase of all tea produced by local farmers at an average price of 6,000 VND/kg. In response to increasingly demanding market requirements, the company has invested in a modern tea processing line, improving product quality, enhancing working conditions for employees, and increasing labor productivity. Fresh tea buds, after harvesting, are immediately transported to the factory and processed on the modern production line, resulting in high-quality tea products primarily exported to markets such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan, and South Korea.

 

If Shan Tuyet tea is associated with tranquil ancient tales amidst the clouds and mountains, then the green tea hills in border regions and ethnic minority villages represent a vibrant and useful stream of modern aspirations, where people place their hopes on every inch of land for their livelihood. These lush green tea plantations, cared for year-round, are harvested, threshed, and processed before being sold at local markets or through cooperative purchasing agreements, becoming the main source of income for many families.

 

In Son La, the "cooperative - farmer - enterprise" linkage model has been developed to bring tea to market: cooperatives provide VietGAP techniques, guidance on preliminary processing, support in packaging, and then collect the products for enterprises or distributors. Many farming households have stable incomes, not only growing tea to make ends meet but also saving up for their children's education.

 

Income from tea has helped alleviate poverty and keep young people in their hometowns. Equally valuable is the shift in mindset: every drop of sweat on the tea plantations is recognized as valuable and rewarded accordingly. The issue of market access is also less concerning as businesses and cooperatives are now guaranteeing the purchase of the product.

 

For example, the Tan Lap Tea Production and Trading Cooperative in Tan Yen commune is a prime example, currently collaborating with over 400 tea-growing households, cultivating 90 hectares according to VietGAP standards. On average, the cooperative achieves annual revenue exceeding 90 billion VND, providing stable employment for over 60 workers. Currently, the Tan Lap Cooperative has two tea products that have achieved OCOP 4-star provincial certification, primarily Shan Tuyet tea and Bat Tien special tea, mainly exported to Middle Eastern countries.

 

Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy, Director of the Cooperative, said that in the future, the cooperative plans to continue expanding its raw material area with VietGAP and organic production processes. Currently, the cooperative's tea products are promoted and communicated through mass media, Facebook, and participate in booths and trade fairs. At the same time, they continue to maintain the brand of OCOP-certified tea products and expand their market to Asia and Europe…

 

The story of Son La tea lies not only in its acreage or production figures, but also in how the product is infused with soul, enhancing its cultural value and elevating it to a brand level. Tea in Son La is not simply an agricultural product. For a long time, it has been intertwined with the local culture. The centuries-old Shan Tuyet tea trees, covered in moss and frost, are natural treasures of the mountainous region. Each tea bud here is the culmination of the climate, soil, and human effort, possessing a distinctive flavor – rich, pure, and long-lasting.

 

For the Thai, Mong, and Dao ethnic groups, a hot cup of tea is not only for enjoyment but also an invitation to connect and a ritual for welcoming honored guests. During festivals and spring celebrations, pots of Shan Tuyet tea and Moc Chau green tea become meaningful gifts.

 

Today, tea has moved beyond the kitchen to reach tourists. Many experiential tours in Moc Chau and Ta Xua take visitors into tea gardens, where they can wear traditional clothing, participate in tea picking and manual tea processing, and then enjoy a hot cup of tea in the highlands. This activity not only increases income but also spreads cultural stories to friends everywhere.

 

In addition, some large enterprises like Vinatea Moc Chau have invested in large raw material areas, built processing plants, packaged products according to OCOP standards, designed professional packaging, and are moving towards international export… This is the gateway for Son La tea to enter a larger market.

 

However, despite its potential, tea development in Son La faces many challenges, as many small cooperatives lack sufficient capital, advanced processing technology, and attractive packaging. The main product remains dried tea, lacking diversification into tea bags, matcha, and bottled iced tea – modern products currently favored by the market. Therefore, supportive policies are needed: preferential capital, technical assistance, marketing training, connections with e-commerce platforms, and participation in domestic and international trade fairs.

 

Tea in Son La is not simply a product of the local people, but a symbol embodying the land, its people, and its culture. With the investment and development by businesses, Son La tea is not just a crop that helps alleviate poverty, but a regional brand, a cultural destination, and a compelling story for friends around the world. Son La province has been implementing various solutions to develop tea into a distinctive and key product, making it more widely known and generating high economic value. Simultaneously, it supports tourism development in the area and aims towards sustainable agricultural development in the future.