Trade is the bright spot in the economic picture in 2024

2024,commercecontinues to be a bright spot in the economic picture of Son La province. Accordingly, the total retail sales of goods for the whole year are estimated at about 35,800 billion VND, an increase of 14.3% compared to 2023 and exceeding 5.9% compared to the plan for 2024.

In particular, the value of exported goods in 2024 is estimated at 198 million USD, up 6.1% over the same period last year and exceeding the set plan by 0.97%.

Many activities to promote and advertise Son La agricultural products have been implemented.

Sharing with reporters of Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Van Bac - Director of Department of Industry and TradeSon La- said: In 2024, we have made efforts to ensure the balance of supply and demand of goods, strengthen the management of trade infrastructure, and develop e-commerce. Strengthen the updating and provision of market information, import and export needs of goods of other countries, support enterprises, cooperatives, and business households to participate in trade promotion programs, and boost the consumption of agricultural products in the domestic market.

In particular, the Son La Industry and Trade sector has participated in trade promotion activities, proactively innovated forms, selected appropriate tools and measures to ensure the right target, achieved goals and high efficiency.

“We have participated in surveys and worked to grasp the production plan situation, promotion needs, introduction and connection of product consumption of enterprises, cooperatives producing and processing agricultural products in the area. At the same time, we participated in the working delegation of the Provincial People's Committee to work with a number of supermarket systems and conferences on trade promotion and import-export development both domestically and internationally."- Mr. Bac shared.

In that picture of trade growth, there is also the strong development of e-commerce. With the support of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy - Ministry of Industry and Trade, Son La has built an e-commerce platform with 40 enterprises, cooperatives and 60 products selected and put on the platform. At the same time, Son La e-commerce platform is integrated into the unified e-commerce platform (Sanviet.vn) built and managed by the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy - Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Meanwhile, to continue to grow the export of goods with the main export products including: Coffee, tea, cassava products, and agricultural products such as bananas, mangoes, etc.

Promote export, develop goods circulation system

It is determined that in 2025, the economic situation in the world and in the country will still face many difficulties and challenges due to geopolitical factors and unusual weather developments. However, one of the tasks and targets set by the Son La Industry and Trade sector is to continue to strengthen the management of commercial infrastructure, promote socialization, and attract investment resources to develop a network of markets, supermarkets, and commercial centers in the province.

Processing industry continues to create momentum for Son La's agricultural exports

Diversify trade markets, focus on e-commerce support activities; innovate and continue to improve the quality of trade promotion activities, seek and expand consumer markets; disseminate knowledge, raise awareness of production and business establishments about new generation free trade agreements.

Mr. Nguyen Van Bac affirmed: In 2025, Son La Industry and Trade Department will continue to promote the export of agricultural products of the province with potential and advantages in terms of production conditions, climate, soil, etc.; focus on attracting enterprises to invest in processing and preserving factories for products eligible for export. In particular, we will prioritize the development of the circulation and distribution system, supporting output for production.

At the same time, review and strictly manage multi-level marketing activities in the province. Coordinate with members of the Provincial Steering Committee 389 to combat commercial fraud and protect consumer rights.

To carry out and perform well the above tasks, the Department of Industry and Trade will continue to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue documents directing the implementation of the Plan for implementing the Industry and Trade Sector Planning. Regularly review, update, and propose additional investment attraction lists annually and for the period 2021-2025; attract investment in developing industrial clusters; large-scale concentrated agricultural processing industry, clean industry; continue to attract labor-intensive industrial projects and logistics centers in the Mai Son - City area, Moc Chau - Van Ho and Long Sap Border Gate Economic Zone. Encourage investors to develop renewable energy, clean energy such as wind power, biomass power, electric energy storage, etc.

Continue to review legal documents, mechanisms, policies, and management documents at all levels, promptly amend and supplement or propose to competent authorities to amend and supplement in accordance with current legal regulations and local realities...

Son La agricultural products are introduced and displayed at BigC Thang Long

Promote administrative reform, create a favorable investment and business environment, promptly remove difficulties and obstacles, accompany businesses and entrepreneurs to promote investment attraction, encourage and support effective production and business, contributing to promoting the development of industry and trade. Promote the work of preventing and combating corruption and waste;

Mobilize capital sources, integrate project programs; increase resources, continue to perform the state management function on industrial promotion activities at the local level, encourage and support businesses and entrepreneurs to promote self-esteem, patriotism, flexibility and creativity, exploit opportunities of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, of free trade agreements to boost production and business.

Improve the effectiveness of trade promotion, connecting supply and demand. Synchronously implement solutions to develop the domestic market, expand export markets. Develop e-commerce. Strengthen promotion and encourage consumption of domestic products. Select a number of potential products to design and implement separate trade promotion programs for these products in the markets. Continue to attract investment in stores consuming Son La's agricultural products, specialty foods, and points of introduction and sale of OCOP products and typical rural industrial products.

Thu Huong