Current situation of commercial infrastructure

The province currently has one shopping centre; three supermarkets; 34 electronics and mobile device supermarkets belonging to major retail chains such as The Gioi Di Dong (Mobile World), FPTShop, and Mediamart; and 21 mini-supermarkets under the Winmart+ brand. In addition, there are 94 markets and 186 petrol stations in operation, effectively meeting local people’s shopping and trade needs.

According to Ha Nhu Hue, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the development of commercial infrastructure has been playing an important role in transforming the urban landscape, ensuring smooth circulation of goods and stable essential supplies. Since the beginning of this year, the total retail sales of goods have been estimated at 30.86 trillion VND (1.17 billion USD), an increase of 14.83% compared to the same period last year.

Nguyen Thi Nhung from To Hieu ward, shared that the ward now has a shopping centre, a system of supermarkets, convenience stores, and distribution agents that fully meet locals’ needs for shopping and entertainment.

To support enterprises and cooperatives in promoting and showcasing their products, the Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated with the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (IDEA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade to develop the Son La e-commerce platform at www.sonla.sanviet.vn. Currently, 40 enterprises and cooperatives with 60 selected products have been introduced on the platform, which has also been integrated into the unified e-commerce platform Sanviet.vn, managed by the IDEA. 

In addition, support has been provided for enterprises and cooperatives to promote and introduce their products on three international e-commerce platforms, namely Alibaba.com, EC21.com, and Agrimp.com; and jointly organise the Vietnamese Goods Festival in the Northwest. The province also maintains and updates the website https://agritradepage.vn to introduce Son La’s enterprises, cooperatives, and agricultural products, featuring 42 enterprises/cooperatives and 52 key agricultural products in Vietnamese, English, and Chinese languages.

To promote the development of logistics services, the department has proposed and organised a conference on orientations for logistics development in agricultural product consumption in Son La province. It has also coordinated with the provincial Department of Finance to attract investment in the logistics sector, particularly in services related to processing, preservation, sale, and export of agricultural products.

Logistics centre projects in Moc Chau and Mai Son have been included in the list prioritised for investment attraction for the 2021-2025 period and integrated into the Commercial Infrastructure Development Plan for 2020-2030, with a vision to 2050, under the master plan of Son La province.

In addition, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade has worked with relevant departments and sectors to advise the provincial People’s Committee on approving the zoning and detailed planning for the Long Sap International Border Gate area, facilitating investment and infrastructure upgrades to support export activities and logistics development. The department has also organised delegations to conduct field surveys, exchange experiences, and attract logistics enterprises to invest in Son La. Furthermore, it has coordinated with the provincial Industrial Parks Management Board to provide the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association with information on infrastructure, investment incentive policies, and logistics and e-commerce development orientations of the province.

Incentives to attract investment

To attract investment in logistics infrastructure development, the provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 267/QD-UBND dated February 21, 2023 on the list of projects for investment attraction in the 2021-2025 period, including logistics centre projects associated with Mai Son and Moc Chau agricultural wholesale markets and seven commercial centres. In addition, these contents are also integrated in the Son La provincial Master Plan approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg dated December 25, 2023.

Currently, logistics centre projects in particular and new and expanded investment projects in the province in general are enjoying preferential policies according to the provisions of the Investment Law 2020, including corporate income tax incentives of 10% for 15 years; tax exemption for 4 years and 50% reduction for the next 9 years; import tax exemption for materials, components, and equipment to create fixed assets; land rent exemption for up to 3 years and an additional 11 years after the basic construction phase.

In particular, cooperatives that lease land for production and business premises are entitled to a 50% reduction in land rent, accelerated depreciation, and an increase in deductible expenses for tax purposes. This is a practical form of support for cooperatives and small enterprises that often face capital shortages for investing in cold storage facilities and modern transportation vehicles.

At the same time, Son La has signed 10 commitments with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), which include key contents such as ensuring electricity, water, and telecommunications infrastructure for factories; providing cleared land and shortening site clearance time; and offering maximum support for social infrastructure and logistics service projects, especially in the fields of agriculture and agricultural processing.

Vu Viet Thang, Director of Phuc Sinh Son La Joint Stock Company, expressed his hope that with clear incentive mechanisms and strong support from local authorities, the province will soon attract investors in logistics services such as cold storage, warehouses, refrigerated containers, and packaging to develop a modern, green transport network, helping its agricultural products expand their presence in both domestic and foreign markets.

Son La is synchronising various solutions and reaffirming its commitment to accompany investors, creating opportunities to attract enterprises with strong potential and experience in commercial infrastructure investment, especially in logistics services, thereby promoting trade and building the province into the socio-economic centre of the northwestern subregion.