Son La welcomes summer with the fragrance of ripe longan. The sweet, refreshing taste of Song Ma longan, which permeates the highlands, has followed the people of this border region as they venture out into the world.
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At this time, several types of fruit trees in Song Ma district, Son La province, are preparing for harvest. According to assessments by orchard owners in Song Ma district, this year, fruit trees such as longan, mango, and pomelo... have bloomed profusely, with a fruit setting rate of 85-90%, and an estimated fresh fruit yield of nearly 90,000 tons. Notably, there was almost no rain during the longan flowering and fruiting period, minimizing flower drop, and it is predicted that this year's longan crop will be very fruitful. In the upper reaches of the Ma River, where barren rocks cannot prevent green shoots from sprouting under the hands of farmers, a special fruit has made Son La famous – the Song Ma longan. It's no coincidence that it's called "the golden fruit of the border region." With over 7,500 hectares and a yield exceeding 70,000 tons annually, Song Ma longan is not only plump and golden in color, but also holds great promise for a "branded" agricultural sector in Northwest Vietnam. |
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As is customary every year, early-ripening longan is harvested in May-June, with an average selling price of 50,000-60,000 VND/kg, which is 2-3 times higher than the price of longan in the main season. Thanks to this, in recent years, Song Ma district has promoted grafting and hybridization to expand the area of early-ripening longan, gradually replacing the traditional longan variety. Along with this, they have guided farmers in applying scientific and technical methods to early-ripening longan production and strengthened efforts to promote and introduce the product to consumers. Longan trees are grown in villages along both banks of the Ma River in the communes of Na Nghiu, Chieng So, Chieu Khoong, and Chieng Cang. According to many farmers, in previous years, during the peak season, the price of longan was quite low, and sometimes farmers were forced to accept low prices from traders. This year, to ensure market access for agricultural products, especially longan fruit as the harvest season approaches, Song Ma district has directed specialized agencies, communes, towns, and cooperatives to strengthen the management of granted planting area codes; continue to review and supplement the issuance of new planting area codes; and strictly manage safe agricultural production processes. At the same time, they are managing post-harvest care techniques for fruit trees; and coordinating with relevant departments and agencies to provide training and improve the technical capacity of cooperatives and farmers in caring for and fertilizing crops. |
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In terms of consumption, during the peak season, Song Ma - Son La longan is transported to many wholesale fruit markets in localities such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, etc. In addition, fallen or underdeveloped fruits will be collected and processed into dried longan, bringing in very high economic value. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, said that Son La has now risen to second place nationwide in terms of fruit tree area and is the largest in the Northern region. The province's agricultural and food products are gradually being produced according to safe production processes, ensuring market standards. Agricultural production has begun to be linked with the processing industry to boost consumption andexport of goodsContributing to the socio-economic development of the province. |
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Many years ago, when the longan crop in Song Ma ripened and yielded high production, locals usually only sold small quantities locally and had not yet found a market for the product. Song Ma longan was exported to China through unofficial channels, but on a limited scale. To ensure that Song Ma longan is sold in large quantities and at high prices, in recent years, the local government has provided many policy supports and transferred scientific and technical knowledge to cooperatives and farmers, completely changing farming methods to improve product quality and meet consumer expectations and needs. The product is both high-quality thanks to good varieties and safe thanks to standardized production, so Song Ma longan has been exported to many markets around the world such as the United States, China, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. |
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Besides exporting and consuming fresh fruit domestically, Song Ma district said it is currently stepping up efforts to support product processing. Currently, there are 2,996 longan processing facilities in the district; including 734 clean steam drying ovens, 3 cold storage facilities, and 6 refrigerated containers. In Song Ma, longan is no longer just a fruit tree, but a source of wealth. Thanks to exports to many countries, the Song Ma longan brand is increasingly recognized. With stable selling prices ranging from 25,000–35,000 VND/kg, sometimes reaching nearly 40,000 VND/kg, each household can earn hundreds of millions of VND per season (according to VietnamPlus, 2023). In particular, grafted longan varieties in the main season and late-ripening longan have expanded the consumption range and extended the value chain. The Trung Dung Organic Agricultural Cooperative in Chieng Cang commune, Song Ma district, has 14 members and cultivates 39 hectares of various fruit trees, primarily longan. In developing production, the members have invested in irrigation systems for their fruit trees; applied VietGAP production processes; and implemented techniques for early-ripening, staggered-harvesting, and off-season longan cultivation. Currently, the cooperative has 20 hectares of early-ripening, staggered-harvest longan. To enhance product value, the cooperative has received support from Song Ma district in building its brand and promoting product sales. Notably, in addition to direct consumption, Son La is also promoting the sale of longan on e-commerce platforms. Since the 2022 longan season, Son La has aggressively promoted its agricultural products on e-commerce platforms such as nongsan.buudien.vn and Sendo, to bring the product to consumers nationwide. Furthermore, this type of longan is also sold on social media platforms and is consistently in high demand. |
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Currently, the Song Ma longan has been granted geographical indication and collective trademark status, protected not only legally but also by market trust. In 2021, along with mangoes, Son La longan was granted a certificate of protection for the "Son La longan" trademark in Vietnam. |
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Alongside promoting trade and consumption of fresh fruit, Son La province is also implementing many solutions to enhance the processing of longan. Thanks to industrial promotion funds, many establishments have invested in technology for making dried longan, bringing high value. Mr. Vu Van Minh, Director of Trung Dung Organic Agricultural Cooperative in Chieng Cang commune, Song Ma district, said that in 2024, the cooperative received support in packaging and boxes for exporting to supermarkets and traders in need. They also received support in the form of a longan drying oven. In 2024, the province harvested and consumed 53,995 tons of longan fruit, with an estimated value of 1,531,182 million VND, including: 45,299 tons of fresh fruit consumed domestically, with an estimated value of 1,362,134 million VND; 8,416 tons of longan processed, with an estimated value of 158,628 million VND; 280 tons of fresh longan fruit exported, with an estimated value of 10,420 million VND; and 405 tons of dried longan exported, with an estimated value of 57,850 million VND. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong emphasized: "The processing industry will contribute to solving the seasonal problem and, more importantly, increase income, create jobs for workers, and build a sustainable production chain. In the coming time, Son La will continue to introduce products into deep processing and create OCOP products, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable agriculture." |
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Accordingly, in 2025 and subsequent years, Song Ma district will continue to apply policies integrating national target program funding to support infrastructure investment serving production, linked with the renovation and upgrading of facilities for purchasing, processing, packaging, and preserving agricultural products in the area, ensuring food safety and hygiene standards. In addition, it will focus on reviewing and managing safe production areas according to VIETGAP standards, improving product design and quality to meet domestic and export requirements. From the beginning of 2025, the People's Committee of Song Ma district directed specialized agencies and the People's Committees of communes and towns to work with cooperatives and businesses to maintain traditional trading partners; strengthen the introduction and promotion of products to trading partners nationwide. They also coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to promote the district's distinctive agricultural products on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook; participated in provincial agricultural product and specialty goods weeks; submitted products to booths on e-commerce platforms; and encouraged cooperatives and production households to organize livestream sales of products on social media. |
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In preparation for the 2025 harvest of fruit and other agricultural products, Son La province has proactively planned to promote and sell its agricultural products, expand linkages and cooperation, and bring Son La's agricultural products, including longan, to more domestic and international markets. According to the 2025 agricultural product promotion plan, Son La province has been organizing clean agricultural product weeks in Hanoi and Hai Phong; coordinating with the Trade Promotion Department to support Son La businesses and cooperatives in participating in trade promotion fairs in Lao Cai province, connecting with foreign partners, and bringing Son La's agricultural products to a wider international audience. Longan is one of the most important fruits in this plan. In Song Ma, each longan fruit not only carries the sweetness of the season but also awakens aspirations. Amidst the vast forests of Northwest Vietnam, small hands are knocking on the world's doors with the fragrance and sweetness of Vietnamese agricultural products, driven by a spirit and desire to bring them to the global stage. |