The Phieng Quai Agricultural, Service, and Tourism Cooperative reveals an atmosphere of enthusiastic labour in lush green coffee gardens intercropped with longan trees entering their harvest season. Established in 2022, the cooperative has 14 members cultivating 40 hectares of coffee intercropped with longan trees and 3.5 hectares of dragon fruit.

In 2024, the cooperative’s yield reached 800 tonnes of fresh coffee cherries, 200 tonnes of longan, and 150 tonnes of dragon fruit, which were steadily supplied to major supermarkets in Hanoi and wholesale markets. The cooperative achieved a revenue of over 18.5 billion VND (702,354 USD), with each member earning between 1-1.5 billion VND per year on average.

Hoang Van Kien, a member of the cooperative, shared: “My family cultivates 2.5 hectares of coffee intercropped with longan and 8,000 square meters of dragon fruit. Thanks to proper technical care, the crops yield high productivity and attractive fruits. Each year, we harvest about 40 tonnes of coffee, 10 tonnes of longans, and 35 tonnes of dragon fruit, earning over 1.3 billion VND in total income. During harvest season, we also create jobs for 3-4 local workers, paying them 300,000–500,000 VND per day.”

Meanwhile, the Sang Na Tre Agricultural Cooperative, supported by the local authorities, encourages its members to actively participate in technical training and learn from effective models inside and outside the commune. The cooperative consists of 18 members who grow 30 hectares of organic coffee, using only organic fertilisers and harvesting only ripe cherries. Its annual revenue reaches nearly 8 billion VND, with each member earning from 400-600 million VND.

Cam Van Hoang, Director of the cooperative, said: “We are developing an OCOP (One Commune One Product) coffee product, focusing on completing safe production processes, traceability, investment in processing, packaging, and design. At the same time, we are enhancing promotion, expanding markets, and building a brand to assert the local coffee’s position.”

To develop sustainable agriculture, Chieng Mai commune encourages residents to form cooperatives, produce according to safe, VietGAP, and organic standards, and link production with consumption to increase product value, create jobs, and boost the local economy. Every year, the commune organises technical training classes for cooperative members and farmers, supports building collective brands, and facilitates participation in fairs and exhibitions to introduce products. Additionally, resources from the new-style rural development programme are used to upgrade internal roads and irrigation systems, and expand production, making it easier to distribute agricultural products.

According to Nguyen Hai Son, Chairman of the communal People's Committee, in the coming time, the commune will focus on supporting cooperatives and enterprises with technical standards, VietGAP training, and building safe production areas; encourage new-style cooperative models; support trade promotion and market expansion. It aims to build green, sustainable, branded agricultural cooperatives that meet domestic demand and gradually reach export markets.

The cooperative economy is increasingly affirming its role in Chieng Mai's socio-economic development, helping shift from small-scale to centralised and linked production; increasing agricultural product value, expanding markets, creating jobs, increasing incomes, and contributing to sustainable agricultural development and rural transformation.