A safe agricultural and aquatic food supply chain involves the coordinated control of all stages from initial production to consumption, including cultivation, livestock farming, fishing, collection, preliminary processing, processing, packaging, transportation, and distribution. All stages apply a quality management program based on food safety hazard control throughout the chain, ensuring traceability and commitment to safety, thereby giving consumers peace of mind when using the products.

In 2024, Son La province aims to maintain and develop stable supply chains for safe agricultural and aquatic products certified by competent authorities. The goal is to increase the area and production of safe agricultural and aquatic food products applying good agricultural practices such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and similar standards by at least 10% compared to 2023. The province also aims to maintain and develop the consumption of agricultural products in Hanoi and other provinces.

The goal is to ensure that 100% of safe agricultural and aquatic products produced in the province are stably consumed in the provincial, national, and export markets. The aim is to develop the province's agriculture towards a modern and sustainable direction; large-scale commodity production, application of science and technology, diversified product processing, and innovation to increase productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness. Simultaneously, food safety control throughout the established supply chain will be effectively implemented, proactively protecting the health and rights of consumers of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products produced and processed in Son La province.

In the first nine months of 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province issued 8 certificates for safe food supply chain products, bringing the total to 288 chains, including: 39 safe vegetable chains; 178 safe fruit chains; 5 coffee chains; 10 tea chains; 2 rice chains; 5 pork chains; 3 chicken chains; 7 honey chains; 21 seafood chains; 2 smoked meat chains; 13 agricultural and seafood processing chains; 2 agricultural product trading chains; and 1 Cordyceps chain.

Son La province currently has 36 safe vegetable supply chains, covering an area of ​​over 300 hectares and producing approximately 13,000 tons per year.

This includes 36 safe vegetable supply chains, covering an area of ​​over 300 hectares, with a production of approximately 13,000 tons per year. Safe vegetables and root crops are strictly controlled from seed selection and irrigation water sources to the use of fertilizers and pesticides, ensuring compliance with VietGAP standards and providing safe products for consumers.

Moc Chau district has the potential and advantages to develop safe vegetable farming chains. The district currently has 20 safe vegetable farming chains, covering a total area of ​​over 150 hectares and producing approximately 8,000 tons per year. Cooperative societies within these chains have established production linkages between farmers and cooperatives, and between cooperatives themselves, with signed contracts for the production and supply of vegetables to supermarkets and safe food chain stores in Hanoi.

Son La province aims to achieve approximately 25,000 hectares of safe vegetable cultivation by 2030, with an estimated production of over 300,000 tons. Of this, the area of ​​safe, concentrated, and traceable vegetables is estimated at 7,500 hectares, with an estimated production of over 80,000 tons; and over 95% of vegetable samples inspected meet safety standards.

In the livestock sector, the province has 26 livestock facilities certified as safe from foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, H5N1 avian influenza, and Newcastle disease. In 2023, the Provincial Department of Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries issued and renewed 3 certificates for disease-free facilities.

In 2024, Son La province is building three more concentrated livestock farms certified as free from animal diseases; one animal disease-free zone for foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and buffaloes at the commune level in Moc Chau district; and one animal disease-free zone for rabies at the ward level in Son La city. The goal is to have two commune-level animal disease-free zones for foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and buffaloes, and two commune-level animal disease-free zones for rabies recognized throughout the province by 2025.

The People's Committees of districts and cities have been and continue to support businesses and cooperatives in applying the VietGAP good agricultural production process, assisting in purchasing packaging, labels, promoting trade, and supporting investment in agricultural product processing in 2024. The goal is to achieve 308 safe agricultural and aquatic product supply chains throughout the province by the end of 2024, as targeted in Plan No. 214/KH UBND dated September 6, 2023, of the Provincial People's Committee.

Son La province is stepping up efforts to issue and manage codes for agricultural production areas intended for export. Photo: BSL.

In addition, during the first nine months of 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued 10 new planting area codes, bringing the total number of codes currently in operation to 216, including: 205 export planting area codes with a total area of ​​2997.55 hectares; and 11 crop planting area codes with a total area of ​​150.45 hectares.

Of the 205 export-oriented growing area codes, 120 are for export to China; 31 to the United States; 39 to Australia; 9 to New Zealand; 3 to the EU; and 3 to other markets. The total number of crops granted export codes includes: 69 mango codes, 108 longan codes, 16 banana codes, 5 plum codes, 1 macadamia code, 2 dragon fruit codes, and 4 passion fruit codes. Agricultural product packaging facilities currently maintain 11 codes: 4 in Son La City, 3 in Mai Son, 1 in Song Ma, 1 in Yen Chau, and 2 in Moc Chau. Packaged products include longan, mango, macadamia, and passion fruit.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is continuing to coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology to build brands and protect geographical indications for agricultural products that the province is focusing on implementing. To date, 29 agricultural products in the province have been granted protection certificates. Among them, 3 products are protected under geographical indications: Son La coffee, Moc Chau Shan Tuyet tea, and round mangoes from Yen Chau district. Currently, there are 101 establishments throughout the province applying the VietGAP and GlobalGAP good agricultural production practices that are still valid.

The "One Commune, One Product" (OCOP) program in the province has attracted the participation of many businesses, cooperatives, and production and business households. To date, the province has 154 products, including 1 OCOP product with 5 stars; 57 products with 4 stars; and 96 products with 3 stars. In addition, brand promotion programs have been implemented effectively, contributing to gradually affirming the value of agricultural products and diversifying the range of safe agricultural products in the province. This has helped Son La province's agricultural products establish their position in both domestic and international markets.

In the coming period, Son La province will continue to support the construction, management, and development of trademarks, geographical indications, and registration of product codes and barcodes. It will also continue to support communication, promotion, trade facilitation, and market development for safe food supply chain products through mass media and other appropriate methods.

Support cooperatives and businesses participating in the safe agricultural and aquatic product supply chain in purchasing packaging materials for product distribution. Inspect and assess the food safety conditions of establishments participating in the safe food chain, and during inspections, take samples of agricultural and aquatic product supply chain products for testing of food safety indicators as prescribed.

Simultaneously, strengthen the work of disseminating information, promoting, introducing, and developing the market for safe agricultural and aquatic products: Support the creation of reports, features, news articles, and clips to promote and publicize the safe agricultural and aquatic food supply chains in Son La province through mass media. Introduce and promote products at fairs and exhibitions; guide and support cooperatives, cooperative unions, and businesses to participate in markets, fairs, exhibitions, trade weeks, conferences, and seminars to connect trade, introduce, promote, and develop the market for safe agricultural and aquatic food supply chains.../.

Thuy Ngan