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 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.

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.

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.

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.