Son La province attracts investment in agricultural processing
Processing is considered the decisive stage in the agricultural value chain, helping diversify products and optimise profits. Son La province has been actively attracting investment into the agricultural processing sector, creating a solid foundation for transforming agricultural structures, building agri-product brands, and increasing farmers’ incomes.
The VFI Son La Food Processing Plant in the Mai Son Industrial Park.
Since the beginning of this year, Son La has had two new processing plants put into operation: the VFI Son La Food Processing Plant and the BHL Modified Starch Factory. In addition, the DOVECO Son La Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre has installed the Tetra Recart paper carton production line - Sweden’s first technology applied in Vietnam for fruits and vegetables, opening up major opportunities to enhance product value and ensure sustainable sale for farmers.
The processing line at the BHL Modified Starch Factory in the Mai Son Industrial Park.
The inauguration and operation of the BHL Modified Starch Factory mark a strategic shift for the processing industry, moving away from dependence on low-value raw products. Unlike regular starch, modified starch is produced using advanced technology and offers superior properties such as heat resistance and strong adhesion. This high-quality product has become an essential raw material in advanced industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, paper, and textiles, helping Son La’s agricultural products become more competitive and capable of entering deep into global supply chains.
Vu Hung Binh, General Director of BHL Son La Group, shared that the BHL Modified Starch Factory project started construction in early 2025 and, after nearly eight months, was completed and put into operation. The factory covers 1.64 hectares in the Mai Son Industrial Park with a design capacity of 300 tonnes per day and is equipped with two state-of-the-art production lines and an automatic control system. It can produce more than 1,000 product codes across five key categories. This breakthrough enables BHL products to meet international standards and produce in time for the 2025-2026 cassava season.
Workers at the Doveco Son La Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre during a production shift.
At the Doveco Son La Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre, after two years of operation, the modern processing complex has reached a total capacity of 52,000 tonnes per year. In 2025, Doveco Son La continues to operate the Swedish Tetra Recart packaging line - the first of its kind in Vietnam, with a capacity of 6,000 cartons per hour, equivalent to 6-8 million cartons per year.
According to Pham Ngoc Thanh, Deputy General Director of Dong Giao Food Export Joint Stock Company, the new line allows the packaging of many premium agricultural products from Vietnam and Son La, including sweet corn, pineapple juice, and various beans, thereby promoting consumption, boosting exports, creating jobs, and increasing the value of the agricultural supply chain for farmers and cooperatives in the region.
The fruit and vegetable sorting and preliminary processing line at the Doveco Son La Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre.
Since 2021, the province has implemented and completed 10 new projects, raising the total number of processing facilities to 21 factories and nearly 600 small-scale establishments, involving many reputable domestic and international corporations. Currently, the province has nine large-scale coffee processing facilities, meeting over 50% of the province’s fresh coffee cherry output; more than 20 enterprises and cooperatives processing tea; a sugar factory with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day; two cassava processing plants; four fruit and vegetable processing plants; and one dairy processing plant. Agricultural and food export value has grown strongly from 104.1 million USD in 2021 to an estimated 208 million USD in 2025, with key export products including coffee, tea, cassava and cassava-based products, banana, mango, longan, and passion fruit.
Workers and engineers install the processing line at the VFI Son La Food Processing Plant.
According to Ha Nhu Hue, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the department is currently implementing comprehensive solutions to create a favorable and efficient investment environment. The focus is on attracting investment into deep processing, maximising current capacity, and accelerating key projects in the Mai Son Industrial Park. At the same time, the department prioritises developing technical infrastructure in industrial clusters and encourages businesses to expand production, apply advanced technologies, improve product quality, and meet environmental requirements.
Agricultural processing has become a driving force behind Son La’s agricultural breakthroughs. In the coming period, the province aims to continue attracting investment, accelerating project progress, and improving product quality, with the goal of strengthening Son La’s position in international markets and increasing farmers’ incomes.
Lo Minh Hung, Standing Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council, chaired a meeting on November 9 to review progress and assess the quality and initial results of developing job-position frameworks under Guidance No. 07-HD/BTCTW issued by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Organisation.
Son La province is making every effort to achieve gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of 8% in 2026, heard a meeting on November 9 to review implementation of the province’s fourth-quarter growth scenario.
A supervision delegation established under Decision No. 140-QD/UBKTTW dated August 24, 2026 of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Inspection, held a conference on November 9 to disseminate the contents of a thematic oversight programme on the Standing Board of the Son La provincial Party Committee’s leadership, direction and implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation.
Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, on November 9 led a working delegation to inspect preparations for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dong Phu Yen pumped-storage hydropower project in Muong Bang commune.
Nguyen Viet Cuong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Council, on November 8 attended the Great National Unity Festival and celebrations marking Vietnam Culture Day 2026 in Co Tinh hamlet, Chieng Mai commune.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the Highland Grands hotel, resort and ecological agriculture complex was held on the morning of November 7 in Bo Bun sub-zone, Van Son ward, Son La province, by Highland Grands Joint Stock Company.
A total of 34 contestants took part in the semi-final round of the first Son La “Thanh am tuoi hong” (Melodies of Youth) Contest in Son La province on November 7.
Businesses, cooperatives and household enterprises across Son La province are stepping up production and preparing supplies for the year-end shopping season, focusing on product quality, designs and packaging to offer consumers attractive, safe gift products that reflect local identity.
Leveraging the extensive reservoirs of the Son La and Hoa Binh hydropower plants, which cover more than 26,000 hectares of water surface, localities across Son La province have tapped their potential to develop cage fish farming and wild-capture fisheries.
In Tan Lap sub-zone, Tan Yen commune, Nguyen Van Sau is among the pioneering farmers transforming traditional farming practices by replacing underperforming crops with orange and high-tech tomato. Through hard work, a willingness to learn and bold investment, his family now generates average annual revenue of more than 4 billion VND (155,750 USD).
The Son La provincial People's Committee on November 4 held a meeting with international investors to discuss a project to produce green energy pellets from bamboo.
Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, on November 4 chaired a meeting with relevant departments and agencies to review preparations for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dong Phu Yen Pumped-Storage Hydropower Project.
Dao Tai Tue, member of the provincial Party Committee's Standing Board and Director of the Department of Construction, on November 4 presented Party membership badges to members of the Party Organisations of Binh Thuan and Muong Khieng communes.
Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, on November 3 attended the November regular meeting of the Party Cell in Phieng Cai hamlet, Long Sap commune.
Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Dinh Viet on November 3 inspected the construction progress of the Long Sap International Border Gate project.
The Standing Board of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Son La province on November 3 held a programme in launch activities to encourage public participation in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns in celebration of the 97th anniversary of the VFF’s Traditional Day (November 18, 1930–2027).
Nguyen Duc Thanh, member of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board and head of the provincial Party Committee’s Organisation Board, on November 3 attended a ceremony presenting the Party membership badge to a member of the Muong Sai commune Party Organisation.
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