Le Thi Hong Anh, Director of the Son La Centre for Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion, said that long-lasting business trips across Vietnam to promote the province’s safe farm produce at various events have been completed as scheduled. Experience shown that thorough preparation is key. Before each event, all arrangements must be in place: agricultural products are carefully packaged, loaded onto vehicles, and brought to flights to ensure safety and quality. Special attention is given to booth signage and decoration, which are designed to leave a lasting impression and emphasise Son La's unique brand.

These efforts have paid off, with many of Son La’s agricultural products now available in major retail chains, supermarkets, and even onboard domestic and international flights operated by Vietnam Airlines, serving passengers worldwide.

Notably, in the year, the centre contributed to forming the province’s delegations to meet with embassies from countries such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the US, and Australia, and those from Western and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East to intensify investment promotion activities. It also collaborated with partners to organise a workshop on solutions for product traceability and digital platform market access for businesses, cooperatives, and households. 

With strong support from the provincial People’s Committee and the centre’s dedicated efforts, Son La successfully partnered with Saigon Co.op to introduce "Son La plum” into the latter’s nationwide retail system. This collaboration resulted in approximately 100 tonnes of plum being distributed across Co.opmart, Co.opXtra, Co.op Food, and Finelife outlets. 

Vo Tran Ngoc, Business Director at Saigon Co.op, shared: “With the motto 'Vietnamese supermarkets built by Vietnamese people serve Vietnamese people,' we always support and are ready to collaborate with Son La’s agricultural, industrial, and handicraft producers to create opportunities to promote local brands, expand markets, and foster business development. Moving forward, we hope to continue working with Son La to bring more agricultural products to consumers.”

In 2024, promoting Vietnamese agricultural products both domestically and internationally saw significant progress. Strawberries grown following VietGAP and organic standards, with strict food safety inspections, were selected by Vietnam Airlines to be included in meals for passengers on its domestic and international flights. This made strawberry the third fruit from Son La, following longan and plum, to be featured in airline meals, reinforcing the brand and value of the province’s farm produce. 

Additionally, the centre supported local businesses and cooperatives in participating in 24 programmes, events, and conferences aimed at connecting and promoting the consumption and export of agricultural products.

Son La holds the second-largest fruit cultivation area in Vietnam and leads the northern region in the regard. The province boasts 560 agricultural processing plants and facilities, 258 supply chains for safe agricultural and aquatic products, 214 certified planting area codes, 101 facilities adopting VietGAP agricultural practices, 28 agricultural products granted protection certificates by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam under the Ministry of Science and Technology, and 154 OCOP (One Commune One Product) products. In addition, it has over 2,700 facilities for drying longan and other agricultural products. 

The centre is committed to diversifying trade promotion activities through both in-person and online platforms. This effort aims to expand access to domestic and international markets, ensuring Son La's agricultural products continue to conquer new markets in 2025.