Representative of the Department of Technology Application and Technical Advancement, Ministry of Science and Technology awarded the Certificate of Trademark Registration for Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea to the leaders of Bac Yen district.

When mentioning Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district, in addition to beautiful cloud hunting spots, this place also has tea products harvested from ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees, located at an altitude of over 1,800 m above sea level. Currently, the commune has 300 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea trees that have been harvested, of which, there are 200 ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in the villages: Be, Ta Xua, Chung Chinh, about 200 - 300 years old, recognized as a population of heritage trees of Vietnam. Due to year-round cloud cover, high humidity and fresh, cool climate, the tea trees here have large buds, under the tea leaves are covered with a layer of fine, snow-white fluff.

According to the elderly in Ta Xua, no one knows exactly when the tea tree appeared, but they only know that the tea tree here has a unique flavor and is good for health, so people brought tea tree seeds from the forest to plant. Tea trees have been associated with the daily life and culture of the Mong ethnic people in the Ta Xua highlands for hundreds of years. The tea roasting profession was born from that. Every year, Ta Xua tea trees are harvested 3-4 batches of buds, in February, April, August and October. When the tea buds bloom, people harvest them using the two-leaf-one-bud technique to produce quality tea products.

With the goal of developing a value chain based on building, managing and developing the certification mark (NHCN) "Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea", improving competitiveness, creating more added value and income for production and business entities in the tea value chain in Ta Xua commune. In 2022, the Department of Science and Technology advised the Provincial People's Committee to approve the Institute of Food Crops and Food Plants to perform the task of registering for protection, building and implementing the management system of the certification mark "Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea" for tea products of Bac Yen district. The task is chaired by Mr. Le Duc Cong, Institute of Food Crops and Food Plants.

The group is tasked with consulting on packaging designs for Ta Xua tea products.

Mr. Le Duc Cong shared: To develop the brand "Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea", the group has worked with the Department of Science and Technology of Son La, the People's Committee of Bac Yen district to build and protect the certification mark "Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea", with the management agency and the owner agency being the People's Committee of Bac Yen district. In addition, we have coordinated with cooperatives to introduce Ta Xua tea products to the Hanoi market, connecting with a number of points of sale in Son La city to promote and introduce products to consumers.

In 2024, “Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea” was granted a trademark registration certificate by the Intellectual Property Office. After the trademark was protected, the People's Committee of Bac Yen district granted the right to use the trademark to organizations and individuals, including: PLA Agricultural and Ethnic Culture Preservation Cooperative; A Chau Agricultural Cooperative and Song A Denh production household.

The task implementation team has completed the product identification system, built QR code traceability stamps to issue to establishments and production households that are granted the right to use NHCN. At the same time, support establishments to display and introduce products at points of sale in Ta Xua commune; points of sale of the Son La Provincial Cooperative Union and points of introduction of clean agricultural products in Hanoi, such as: Happy Mart supermarket system in Ha Dong; Gia Hung clean food store system, in Trung Kinh - Cau Giay.

Harvesting Ta Xua tea.

Mr. Mua A Lenh, Director of PLA Agricultural and Ethnic Culture Preservation Cooperative, Ta Xua commune, said: The cooperative's tea is roasted by hand, taking about 3 - 4 hours to create a finished dry tea product; with this method, the tea powder is not lost, preserving the characteristic flavor of Ta Xua tea. Participating in the task, cooperative members are trained in knowledge of brand management and use; product marketing, how to negotiate, sign product consumption contracts; introduce, promote, and sell products on social networks. This is the premise for us to expand production, increase value and economic efficiency for cooperative members and local people here.

Ms. Trinh Thi Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of Bac Yen District People's Committee, shared: Being granted a certificate of protection for the trademark "Ta Xua Bac Yen Tea" is an advantage for exploiting, promoting and consuming tea products associated with tourism development. The district has oriented Ta Xua commune to focus on developing tea products associated with eco-tourism; encouraging organizations and individuals to develop commercial tea products and exploit the population of 200 ancient tea trees as a tourist attraction.

Being granted a trademark protection certificate helps Ta Xua tea products increase product value and competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets; at the same time, promote local tourism development.

Duy Tung