The first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023 took place from October 20 to October 23, 2023.

Son La province is the locality with the largest Arabica coffee growing area in the country, with over 20,000 hectares, of which more than 18,000 hectares are certified for sustainability and equivalent; a number of specialized concentrated production areas have been formed, following the production, processing and consumption chain based on the application of science and technology, gradually meeting the needs of production, consumption and export. Son La coffee products have been exported to 20 markets in the EU, North America, the Middle East and ASEAN countries with stable consumption prices; contributing to increasing the income of coffee growers, creating more jobs, contributing to restructuring production towards increasing the value of coffee in Son La, highly appreciated by domestic and foreign consumers.

Implementing the policy of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee on focusing on sustainable development of Son La Coffee, contributing to enhancing the value and affirming the position of Son La Coffee in domestic and foreign markets. At the same time, honoring coffee growers, producers, processors and traders, encouraging the community to join hands to foster the development of the coffee industry in Son La province in particular and Vietnam in general, thereby contributing to stabilizing the lives and increasing income for coffee growers in the area. With that meaningful purpose, the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023 was organized by Son La province with many practical and meaningful activities.

The festival is an occasion to honor coffee growers, producers, processors and traders.

Regarding the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Festival Organizing Committee, said: The festival is organized for the first time at the provincial level, expected to contribute to promoting, enhancing the value, affirming the position of Son La Coffee in the market; honoring coffee growers, producers, processors and traders; encouraging the community to join hands to foster the development of coffee culture. At the same time, introduce unique images of coffee culture, people, potentials, strengths, create an image of Son La as friendly and hospitable, attract investors and tourists to Son La; promote production development, connect supply and demand, innovate, increase income, stabilize the lives of ethnic minorities.

Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue - Politburo member, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam attended the Opening Ceremony.

At the Opening Ceremony, Son La province was honored to welcome Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue - Politburo member, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, along with comrades of the Party Central Committee, leaders of Central Committees, Ministries and branches; leaders of provinces, cities, leaders of the Vietnam Coffee - Cocoa Association to attend to direct, encourage and highly appreciate the activities of the Festival in general and the Opening Ceremony in particular.

A large number of people and tourists came to visit and experience the Festival.

Within the framework of the Festival, there are also activities such as: Exhibition Fair with the theme "Son La Coffee - Integration and Development" with the participation of 100 booths displaying achievements in socio-economic development, tourism products; safe agricultural products of Son La province and coffee products of districts, cities, enterprises inside and outside the province; Workshop on Sustainable Development, enhancing the value of Son La Coffee and Conference on connecting consumption of coffee and Son La agricultural products with the participation of more than 300 delegates who are managers, scientists, representatives of domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations, processing and trading entrepreneurs and coffee growers who have acquired a lot of valuable knowledge and experience in cultivating, harvesting, preliminary processing, processing, consuming and exporting Arabica coffee products in the coming time.

Within the framework of the Festival, a Farmers' Competition took place with exciting and meaningful competitions.

The Farmers Competition of Son La province with the theme "Sustainable coffee production, adapting to climate change" with the participation of teams from Mai Son, Yen Chau, Sop Cop, Thuan Chau districts and Son La city took place in an exciting and attractive manner, providing a useful playground for farmers working and producing coffee in the province.

The inauguration of the Son La Coffee Processing Factory and the Cascara tea production line of Phuc Sinh Son La Joint Stock Company affirmed the determination of the entire political system in the province to implement policies to attract and support investment in the province, especially in the fields of agricultural product processing and Arabica coffee processing.

The Son La Book Fair 2023 at the Festival is a new attraction attracting a large number of officials, people and students to visit, read and buy books.

Coffee Gala is a place for gathering, exchanging, and sharing knowledge and coffee enjoyment between coffee makers and coffee users. A place to perform the art of brewing, decorating, enjoying, learning and discovering all the mysteries and mysteries of a cup of coffee; displaying beautiful photos of Son La coffee with hundreds of beautiful photos introducing and promoting coffee trees, coffee production and consumption activities of coffee farmers, cooperatives and coffee production enterprises in Son La; Son La Book Fair 2023 is organized with attractive activities of promoting and introducing books of publishers, spreading reading culture in the community along with activities to create a useful playground for students in the city and neighboring districts.

The Closing Ceremony of the First Son La Coffee Festival 2023 with the theme "Arabica Son La - Origin of Creativity" concluded a successful Festival.

The first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023 was a great success, leaving a deep impression.

It can be affirmed that the first Son La Coffee Festival in 2023, organized at the provincial level, is a special event of great significance for coffee farmers, coffee processing and trading enterprises in particular and the people of Son La province in general. Opening a new wind with a new stage, new opportunities, promising new steps of development for Son La Coffee to develop, reaching out to the domestic market, in the region and around the world.

Le Hong