Opening Ceremony of the Ethnic Minority Products Festival in Lai Chau

On the morning of November 14th, the 2025 Festival of Products from Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Regions of Northern Vietnam officially opened at the Lai Chau Provincial Trade Center.

The program, organized by the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) in coordination with the Department of Industry and Trade of Lai Chau province (Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee), aims to honor the value of highland agricultural products, promote distinctive products, and create a bridge for trade, fostering a sustainable consumer market for mountainous localities in the North. It marks the beginning of a series of regional-scale trade promotion activities.

The 2025 Festival of Products from Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Regions in Northern Vietnam. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

The festival was attended by representatives from several mountainous provinces in the northern region, including Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Cao Bang, Bac Ninh , Son La, and Tuyen Quang.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development (Ministry of Industry and Trade), emphasized: The festival is an opportunity to promote characteristic products, honor regional cultural identity, promote cooperation, expand consumer markets, and contribute to realizing the Party and State's policy of socio -economic development in mountainous and remote areas.

Mr. Tran Huu Linh, Director of the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development, delivered the opening remarks. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

Over the years, the development of the domestic market has always received special attention from the Party, the State, and the Government. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, as the leading agency in this field, has been implementing many important programs, such as: the "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods" program, the development of trade in mountainous, remote, and island areas, the program to innovate agricultural product consumption methods, and many specialized trade promotion activities.

As a result, products from ethnic minority communities are becoming increasingly well-known, contributing to both increased income for the people and promoting the beauty of regional culture to the entire country.

"The Department of Information and Communication Technology will continue to accompany and support highland products with information, market advice, and distribution system connections, helping them gradually assert their position, not only in the domestic market but also in the international market," Director Tran Huu Linh emphasized.

Mr. Giàng A Tính, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Lai Châu province, delivered a welcoming speech. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Giang A Tinh, Vice Chairman of the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee, shared that in recent years, the Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee and government have always paid attention to and issued many policies and mechanisms to support the development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas; encouraging ethnic minorities to develop commodity production, build geographical indications, traceability systems, and build brands for distinctive products associated with the "One Commune One Product" program and the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas; while also strengthening the implementation of trade promotion and e-commerce activities to support businesses and cooperatives in promoting and connecting agricultural products from ethnic minority and mountainous areas in particular into the distribution systems of provinces and cities; and participating in booths on e-commerce platforms. Participating in programs, conferences, seminars, trade fairs, and events aims to connect suppliers with distribution systems, export businesses, and trade promotion organizations.

Exhibition booths showcasing products from various localities. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

The Northern Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Region Products Festival featured 74 booths from businesses in the province and localities nationwide, especially with the presence of large domestic and foreign distribution companies and corporations such as: Central Retail Vietnam Group, Ho Chi Minh City Commercial Cooperative Union, Wincommerce General Trading and Service Joint Stock Company, IMEX NEWS Co., Ltd., Qing Shan Sheng Shi Company, etc.

"This is not only an opportunity to introduce and promote characteristic products, OCOP products, traditional products, handicrafts, clean agricultural products, precious medicinal herbs, etc., but also a very special occasion for Lai Chau to promote the image and cultural beauty of ethnic minorities in Lai Chau province, its tourism potential, and its characteristic products to businesses, distribution and retail corporations, central agencies, and other provinces," the Vice Chairman of the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee emphasized.

Products displayed, sold, and connected to consumers at the Fair. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

Within the framework of the event, the Organizing Committee awarded certificates for outstanding rural industrial products of Lai Chau province in 2025 to 13 excellent products in the province. According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Lai Chau province, this selection and recognition contributes to encouraging rural industrial establishments to innovate technology, improve product quality, expand consumer markets, thereby promoting sustainable rural industrial development linked to local raw material areas.

Besides product displays, a business networking conference was also held between suppliers in the Northwest region and distribution and export businesses, attracting the participation of many large entities such as Saigon Co.op, Wincommerce, Central Retail, IMEX News, and Qing Shan Sheng Shi (China).

On the supplier side, there are typical cooperatives and businesses in the region such as Than Uyên Agricultural and Industrial Cooperative and Tourism Trade Company, Dung Long Company, Tay Bac Seed and Materials Company, DannyGreen Company, Cat Cat Herbal Cooperative, and Dao Huy Cuong business household, bringing many distinctive highland products. This networking activity contributes to strengthening supply-demand linkages, expanding markets for local agricultural products, and promoting sustainable trade cooperation between regions.

In particular, the online sales livestream on the TikTok channel Hello Vietnam made a strong impression at the event, attracting the participation of leaders from the Lai Chau Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, KOLs, and prominent suppliers. During the live session, many outstanding Lai Chau specialties were introduced and sold directly to consumers nationwide, such as An Ngan cordyceps, Thanh Xuan honey, smoked buffalo meat, Lai Chau ginseng tea, Duong Yen salmon floss, matcha tea, and Sin Ho ginseng vermicelli...

Thirteen products from businesses and cooperatives were awarded certificates as typical rural industrial products of Lai Chau province in 2025. Photo: Department of Domestic Market Management and Development.

"This initiative represents a significant shift in digital transformation, helping to bring highland agricultural products directly to consumers and opening up new avenues for consuming local specialty products through e-commerce platforms," ​​said Mr. Tran Van Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Lai Chau province.

With close coordination between the Department of Domestic Market Management and Development and the Department of Industry and Trade of Lai Chau province, along with the support of localities in the region, the 2025 Festival of Products from Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions of Northern Vietnam promises to become a highlight in regional trade promotion, contributing to bringing highland products further and affirming their position in domestic and international markets.

The 2025 Festival of Products from Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions in Northern Vietnam will take place from November 14th to 16th at the Lai Chau Provincial Trade Center. The program promises to create a vibrant atmosphere showcasing the colors of the highlands, spreading the spirit of solidarity and the aspiration for sustainable economic development among the northern mountainous provinces.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/khai-mac-ngay-hoi-san-pham-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-tai-lai-chau-d784255.html