Son La province currently maintains 218 planting area codes and 10 packaging facility codes, of which 211 codes are for export to markets such as China, Australia, and the United States, covering an area of over 3,000 hectares. A series of characteristic products have been certified with trademarks such as "Song Ma Longan," "Son La Longan," "Son La Pineapple," "Son La Mango," "Son La Dragon Fruit," and "Son La Plum."
VietGAP certified labeling model in Chieng Khoong commune, Song Ma district.
Reportedly, in the first six months of 2024, the area of fruit trees in Son La province still exceeded 84,000 hectares with a total consumption of nearly 190,000 tons, worth approximately 2.5 trillion VND. Son La province aims to achieve agricultural exports of 186 million USD in 2024.
Specifically, in the first six months of 2024, many of Son La province's characteristic fruits and vegetables were exported for the first time as many new markets opened during that period. For example, at the beginning of the year, the first dragon fruits from Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Cooperative in Na Bo commune, Mai Son district, were exported to Scotland. Shortly after, 5 tons of red-fleshed dragon fruit from farmers in Chieng Pha commune, Thuan Chau district, were also officially exported to Italy through the Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Cooperative.
Notably, most recently, 10 tons of Ruby plums from Son La, produced by the Noong Pieu Local Agricultural Products Cooperative in Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district, have been exported to demanding markets such as Germany, the UK, France, and the Czech Republic at an average price of 250,000 - 300,000 VND…
In Mai Son district, the total area of fruit trees has reached over 11,200 hectares, including more than 4,200 hectares applying high technology, 1,800 hectares producing organically, and 1,100 hectares producing according to VietGAP standards. From the beginning of the year until now, businesses, cooperatives, and farmers in Mai Son have harvested over 45,000 tons of various fruits, selling them domestically for over 766 billion VND. Along with coffee, Mai Son's fruits have made a significant contribution to the 31.8 million USD earned from agricultural exports.
The harvest season has arrived, bringing joy to the people with both a bountiful crop and good prices. This year, Song Ma is expected to supply the market with approximately 70,000 tons of fresh longan fruit.
In the first six months of 2024, Son La's fruit exports reached approximately 12,200 tons, with an estimated value of nearly 82 billion VND. Several products have become key export products for Son La, including mangoes (7,600 tons), bananas (4,560 tons), and passion fruit (37 tons). In addition, other high-value agricultural products such as coffee, tea, and cassava are contributing to the strong growth of Son La's agriculture.
Son La province's strawberry harvest has so far reached over 7,300 tons, generating more than 502 billion VND; plums have reached nearly 50,000 tons, bringing in over 851 billion VND; and longan, banana, pineapple, and mango are nearing the end of their harvests. The target for Son La's agricultural exports, expected to surpass the 177.6 million USD mark of 2023 and reach 186 million USD in 2024, is currently very achievable.
In recent years, people in Co Noi commune, Mai Son district (Son La province) have been actively developing strawberry cultivation.
The local specialty, the round mangoes, will be featured at the "5th Yen Chau Mango Festival, 2024".
To date, Son La province has been granted 4 codes for passion fruit growing areas.
The stunning natural scenery of the Moc Chau tea hills captivates tourists.
Developing fruit cultivation in a sustainable manner, Son La province has now formed linkages between businesses, cooperatives, and households in the production, consumption, and processing of agricultural products. Implementing safe value chain production, Son La province is maintaining and developing 166 safe fruit chains (mangoes, longan, plums, passion fruit, avocados, strawberries, dragon fruit, etc.) with an area of 3,657 hectares and a production of 44,720 tons/year. The entire province has approximately 40 hectares of fruit trees applying good agricultural practices and equivalent standards. 30 hectares of pomelo and hawthorn have been certified organic. To date, Son La's products have been introduced and exported to international markets; nearly 20,000 tons of various fruits have been exported.
Son La province possesses many advantages and potentials for developing fruit trees. In particular, the shift from traditional agricultural production thinking to an agricultural economy has brought high economic value to farmers in Son La, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable ecological agriculture.
With its strengths in fruit trees, Son La possesses high potential, advantages, and economic value, providing people with a regular and stable source of income. From 2017 to the present, the area of land planted with fruit trees and fruit production in Son La have continuously increased, currently reaching nearly 85,000 hectares; fruit production reached 453,554 tons; an increase of 91.2% in area and 210.5% in production (307,489 tons) compared to 2017. Some major fruit trees have high commercial value and have formed concentrated production areas, such as: longan in Song Ma and Mai Son districts; mango in Yen Chau; custard apple in Mai Son; plum and avocado in Moc Chau district; hawthorn in Muong La, Bac Yen, and Thuan Chau districts.
Phi Long