The district of Moc Chau, Son La province, is focusing on promoting the establishment of agricultural cooperatives, gradually developing agriculture towards modernization, concentrated commodity production on a large scale, and accelerating the application of advanced science and technology in production to create a breakthrough in agriculture. This is the approach that Moc Chau district, Son La province, is prioritizing to boost agricultural economic development.

Luong Van Quynh, Director of Muong Sang Fruit Cooperative (in the blue shirt), tends to his plum orchard.

Mr. Luong Van Quynh, Director of the Muong Sang Fruit Cooperative in Moc Chau district, said that his cooperative was established in 2017 with 14 members initially, and now has increased to 30 members.

"Previously, before the establishment of the cooperative, farming was small-scale and fragmented, lacking connection in terms of cultivation techniques and markets. With the establishment of the cooperative, not only has the area of ​​orchards increased in scale, but members have also been able to connect with each other, learn and improve their cultivation techniques for better results, and connect with more markets," Mr. Quynh shared.

People in Moc Chau are investing in greenhouse and net house systems to increase productivity and product value.

As one of the leading localities in agricultural development in Son La province, famous for its distinctive products such as tea, milk, temperate fruits, and vegetables, Moc Chau district has, in recent years, prioritized the application of high technology and the development of organic agriculture to enhance the value of local agricultural products.

According to Mr. Tran Xuan Thanh, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department of Moc Chau district, the locality has established 101 agricultural cooperatives to date, of which 40 are operating within the value chain. These agricultural cooperatives have contributed to expanding the cultivation of the district's key fruit crops, increasing the fruit-growing area to over 10,700 hectares. Through the application of high technology in production, such as adopting VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards; establishing planting area codes; and investing in greenhouses and glasshouses, many production models have yielded high economic efficiency, generating billions of VND per hectare annually, including: plums, avocados, persimmons, and citrus fruits.

"To continue developing, the district will strengthen product consumption. Firstly, we will develop OCOP products; to date, Moc Chau district has 33 OCOP products, including 15 4-star products. Secondly, we will establish safety standards to facilitate product sales. Thirdly, we will focus on developing agricultural gardens combined with tourism so that locals and tourists can have experiential activities; growers will also sell their products directly from their gardens to help increase the value of their products," Mr. Thanh said.

Many OCOP products from Moc Chau are popular in the market.

Dragon fruit is one of Son La's export products.

In Song Ma district – the "capital" of longan in the province, with nearly 11,000 hectares of fruit trees, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thien, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said that in 2025, in order to create a breakthrough in agricultural development and thereby contribute to promoting economic growth, the locality will continue to implement the transfer of science and technology, apply agricultural production processes according to VietGAP, GlobalGAP and equivalent standards; along with that, effectively implement policies to attract investment, improve the investment and business environment, create conditions for enterprises, cooperatives, organizations and individuals to invest in agricultural services and processing industries… striving to develop the area of ​​fruit trees to 11,210 hectares, with a production of about 48,000 tons; of which, processing and export will account for more than 22%.

"The district also continues to promote and introduce local products and goods, and participates in working groups with provinces, cities, and supermarket chains, shopping malls, and businesses involved in purchasing, processing, and consuming to seek opportunities for cooperation and expand markets for potential and advantageous products of the district such as longan and mango... Along with that, we are promoting, mobilizing, and supervising cooperatives and people to comply with production processes to improve product design and quality, meeting domestic and export requirements," Mr. Thien said.

The Ma River is the "capital" of longan cultivation in Son La province, with an area of ​​over 7,600 hectares.

By promoting the development of high-tech agriculture in conjunction with the restructuring of the agricultural sector, Son La has continued to maintain its position as the largest fruit-growing area in the northern region, ranking second nationwide, and is considered a "phenomenon of agricultural economics" in the country.

With an annual output of approximately 380,000 tons, Son La is currently the largest fruit-growing area in the northern region and ranks second nationwide.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, the province currently has over 84,000 hectares of fruit trees and hawthorn trees, with a production of nearly 380,000 tons. Many fruit tree cultivation models yield high incomes, ranging from 200 million to 400 million VND per hectare, especially custard apple trees which bring in over 350 million VND per hectare; strawberries bring in 420 million VND per hectare... Many farmers have risen out of poverty and become millionaires and billionaires thanks to fruit tree cultivation.

Building on the achievements, the locality is currently focusing on restructuring industries and sectors, both within and within the sector, in conjunction with innovating the growth model, striving for the total product of the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector in the province to reach over 8,870 billion VND in 2025, an increase of 4.9% compared to 2024.

"In 2025, Son La aims to achieve 28 socio-economic targets, with a very clear objective for the agricultural sector. Firstly, currently there are 308 safe production chains, with the goal of increasing that to 350; currently there are 213 registered planting areas, with the goal of increasing that to 300; currently there are 204 OCOP products, with the goal of reaching approximately 250; currently there are 9 high-tech agricultural zones, with the goal of expanding to 15 zones; and out of 84,000 hectares of fruit trees, the aim is to bring at least 60% into large-scale, clean production. Simultaneously, the plan to develop Son La into a center for agricultural product processing in the Northern Midlands and Mountains will be completed," Mr. Cong informed.

Son La province focuses on organic production to improve product design and quality, meeting both domestic and export demands.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong also stated that Son La province is currently actively directing the agricultural sector to focus on effectively implementing the organizational restructuring according to the Provincial Party Committee's conclusions; arranging and assigning personnel in the sector to ensure quality and proper job positions, striving to successfully complete assigned tasks, thereby contributing to achieving the GRDP growth target of 8% in 2025 as planned.

Source: vov.vn