Son La currently has the largest area of ​​Arabica coffee cultivation in the country, reaching approximately 24,300 hectares, and is identified as a crop that helps alleviate poverty. Photo: ND

Son La has the largest area of ​​Arabica coffee cultivation in the country.

Coffee has been present in Son La since 1945, brought by the French, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the province of Son La paid attention to it, selecting it as one of the key crops in some areas such as Chieng Ban, Muong Chanh, and Chieng Chung, mainly the Arabica variety.

However, with the old farming methods, which were entirely dependent on nature, there were times when many people cut down their coffee trees due to frost, falling prices, and very low economic value.

Since the late 1980s, Son La province has implemented a program to develop Arabica coffee cultivation. Despite numerous challenges, including harsh weather conditions, frost, and fluctuating prices and markets, the efforts, creativity of coffee growers, and the involvement of the entire political system in the province have enabled Arabica coffee to thrive and become the province's main crop.

Son La coffee plants, especially the Arabica variety, are primarily grown on basalt, limestone, and ancient alluvial soils at altitudes ranging from 600 to 1,200 meters, in a cool climate with ideal temperatures between 15 and 24 degrees Celsius. These unique soil and ecological conditions contribute to the balanced flavor, subtle aroma, delicate acidity, and sweet aftertaste—a distinctive characteristic of Son La coffee.

According to statistics, Son La currently has the largest area of ​​Arabica coffee in the country, reaching approximately 24,300 hectares. The estimated yield for the 2025 crop year is approximately 38,000 tons. This scale demonstrates the increasingly prominent role of coffee in the province's agricultural economic structure. In reality, each hectare of coffee yields an average of 11 tons of fresh fruit, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 VND/kg, generating revenue of 170-200 million VND/ha and a profit of over 140 million VND/ha after deducting costs. This is an attractive income level, contributing to improving the lives of tens of thousands of coffee-growing households.

During the harvest season, along the highland roads of Son La province, you can see baskets of bright red coffee beans and long rows of fresh fruit waiting for traders. Many cooperatives and businesses buy directly from the orchards, creating jobs for thousands of local workers with an income of 4,000 - 5,000 VND per kilogram of harvested fruit.

Son La Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Van Nghiem, along with provincial leaders, attended the Arabica coffee harvesting festival in Muoi Noi commune in 2025. Photo: ND

The "poverty alleviation" tree

In Chiềng An ward, many years ago, the main source of income for residents depended on corn and cassava grown on sloping land. Low yields and an unstable market caused hardship for many families. The real turning point came when the locality implemented a crop restructuring program, introducing Arabica coffee into concentrated production.

According to Tran Cong Chinh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Chieng An Ward, with nearly 2,000 hectares of coffee plantations, the estimated annual revenue is over 433 billion VND. It can be affirmed that coffee is a "poverty alleviation" crop that brings prosperity to the people in the villages of the ward. Thanks to coffee cultivation, people have escaped poverty and have accumulated wealth.

In the coming period, Chiềng An ward will actively cooperate with relevant departments and the Sơn La Provincial Cooperative Union to focus on supporting cooperatives and businesses in technical standards, VietGAP training, and building safe production areas; encouraging new cooperative models; supporting trade promotion and market expansion; aiming to build green, sustainable agricultural production cooperatives with brands that meet domestic needs and gradually reach export markets.

Mr. Tran Dung Tien, Deputy Director of the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: In the period 2021 - 2025, the province has replanted and rejuvenated more than 2,800 hectares of coffee, introducing new varieties such as TH1, TN7, TN9, Starmaya... suitable for the local climate. Currently, the province has more than 1,100 hectares of specialty coffee, with a production of nearly 1,000 tons/year.

Thanks to synchronized policies, Son La has become the largest Arabica coffee growing region in the country, accounting for 47.9% of the national area and 73% of the northern region. The province has 60 coffee cooperatives, 5 industrial processing plants, and 15 household-scale preliminary processing facilities, many of which have achieved RA, 4C, and VietGAP certifications.

Notably, Son La has been granted geographical indication "Son La Coffee" to 7 units, with 5 OCOP products (including 1 product that meets national 5-star standards). Brands such as Phuc Sinh Son La, Minh Tien Coffee, Bich Thao Cooperative, Muong Chanh Coffee, Chieng Ban... have entered many demanding markets such as the EU and North America.

Currently, Son La coffee has become a key export item, with an annual production of 34,000 tons and a value of 100 million USD, accounting for nearly half of the province's total export value.

Coffee cultivation not only provides a stable income for people in mountainous regions but also contributes to reshaping the rural economy. From the hills laden with coffee, roads have been built, electricity has been brought in, and schools and health centers have become more modern and well-equipped.

According to statistics, the poverty rate in Son La province decreased by an average of 3.59% per year, with the poverty rate among ethnic minorities decreasing by 3.5% per year, exceeding the target set in the Resolution of the 15th Congress of the Son La Provincial Party Committee.

Besides expanding the area under cultivation, Son La is also gradually enhancing the value of coffee through branding and market development. Currently, many businesses and cooperatives in the province have been granted the right to use the geographical indication "Son La Coffee".

Several businesses have brought Son La Arabica coffee to the international market with deeply processed product lines, such as Son La Arabica Blue or Son La Cascara Blue made from coffee cherry husks. The thorough utilization of by-products not only increases value but also contributes to reducing emissions, moving towards sustainable agricultural production.

Simultaneously, the province focuses on encouraging production units to adopt VietGAP, 4C, Rainforest Alliance, organic standards, etc., gradually meeting the stringent requirements of the export market.

The effectiveness of coffee cultivation is clearly reflected in social welfare indicators. During the period 2021-2024, the poverty rate across the province decreased sharply from 21.66% to 10.89%, and coffee was identified as one of the key crops making a significant contribution to this result.

In particular, in 2025, Son La's coffee export volume is expected to reach approximately 34,000 tons, worth 100 million USD, an increase of nearly 29% compared to the same period in 2024. With the support of the government, businesses, and farmers, Arabica coffee is expected to continue to be a "rich crop," contributing to the stable and sustainable socio-economic development of Son La in the coming years.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, the province regularly has policies to support cooperatives in promoting their products, bringing Son La coffee to international trade fairs, contributing to raising the brand image of the province's coffee. The Provincial Steering Committee for Export and Consumption of Agricultural Products has set out a policy to build brands and promote products for the entire period of 2020-2025.

"Going forward, we will study a comprehensive policy to support agriculture in attracting investment in processing plants. Secondly, we will have policies to support the selection and breeding of the best coffee varieties, ensuring they are suitable for the soil, climate, and land conditions of Son La," the Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee added.

The Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee emphasized that in the coming time, the province will absorb, research, select, and apply the local conditions, and at the same time request the departments, bureaus, and institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to continue to pay attention to and support Son La province in the orientation and solutions for sustainable coffee development. This includes guidance on implementing regulations on the export of goods and products related to deforestation and forest degradation in Europe (EU) to ensure conditions for coffee export.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is accompanying and supporting Son La province in promoting and connecting the consumption of coffee products. Experts and researchers are interested in supporting the province with solutions regarding new varieties, technical processes, and the application of new and high technologies.