Opening up new development opportunities for the tea industry.

In the agricultural structure of Thai Nguyen province, tea has long played a key role, closely linked to the local cultural identity and brand. Given the need to develop agriculture towards increased added value and sustainability, concretizing development directions for the tea industry has become essential. Based on this, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a revised plan for implementing Resolution No. 11-NQ/TU on the development of the tea industry for the period 2025-2030, aiming to update objectives and tasks to suit current realities and create further impetus for the tea industry's development in the future.

In Thai Nguyen's agricultural structure, tea is not only a key crop but also a cultural symbol and a distinctive local brand. The entire province aims to reach 24,500 hectares of tea plantations by 2030.

Adapting to meet new development requirements.

Resolution No. 11-NQ/TU of the Provincial Party Committee sets the goal of developing the tea industry towards improving quality, increasing value, and building a sustainable brand. Based on this, the Provincial People's Committee issued a plan for implementation starting in 2025. However, in light of changes in the local government organizational model, the trend of digital transformation in agriculture, and the requirement to develop the tea industry along the value chain, the province has issued an adjusted plan to ensure the resolution's implementation is more in line with reality.

One notable point is the adjustment of the implementation mechanism. According to the new plan, many tasks are assigned directly to communes and wards, the level of government closest to tea producers. This decentralization helps to enhance the proactive role of localities in planning production areas, managing quality, and implementing policies to support tea growers.

Mr. Duong Son Ha, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said: The adjustment of the plan aims to closely follow the practical development of the tea industry, while promoting the role of local authorities in organizing production. Localities will be more proactive in building raw material areas, improving product quality, and promoting linkages between farmers, cooperatives, and businesses.

The Nguyen Viet Safe Tea Cooperative (Dong Hy commune) is constantly innovating, improving, and applying techniques to enhance the quality of its tea products to meet market demands.

According to relevant authorities, strong decentralization to the grassroots level will create conditions for localities to leverage their tea-growing advantages, gradually forming concentrated production areas linked to processing and product consumption.

Along with adjusting the implementation mechanism, the new plan also continues to refine the development goals for the tea industry in the coming period. Accordingly, by 2030, the entire province aims to achieve approximately 24,500 hectares of tea plantations, a fresh tea leaf production of about 300,000 tons, and a total value of tea products of approximately 25,000 billion VND.

Besides focusing on production scale, the province places special emphasis on improving product quality and value. Approximately 70% of the tea growing area will be cultivated according to VietGAP or organic standards; 70% of the area will be assigned planting area codes for traceability and export purposes. The province also aims to have at least 250 tea products achieving OCOP standards from 3-5 stars by 2030, including 6 products achieving OCOP 5 stars, the highest level in the OCOP product classification system.

Enhancing value, moving towards sustainable development.

Experts believe that improving production standards and product quality is key to Thai Nguyen tea maintaining its competitive advantage in the market. One of the important new points of the revised plan is to focus on applying science and technology and digital transformation throughout the entire tea industry value chain.

The application of drones in tea cultivation.

According to the province's guidelines, businesses and cooperatives with tea growing areas will gradually apply digital technology in managing production, processing, and consumption of products to ensure transparency of information and traceability.

In production, technological solutions such as water-saving irrigation systems, drones, pest and disease monitoring systems, and cultivation area management systems are encouraged. In processing, the province aims to develop modern production lines and promote deep processing to create high-value products from tea, such as functional foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

According to Mr. Duong Son Ha, in the coming period, the Thai Nguyen tea industry will focus on developing in the direction of applying science and technology, digital transformation, and deep processing to enhance product value. This is an important solution to further affirm the position of the Thai Nguyen tea brand in the market.

Besides its economic value, tea is also closely linked to the cultural life of the people of Thai Nguyen. Therefore, the revised plan also aims to preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of tea in conjunction with tourism development. Accordingly, localities will continue to build and develop traditional tea-making villages, while honoring artisans and preserving the cultural values ​​associated with tea making.

Developing the tea industry in the coming period should not only focus on production but also be linked to brand building, tourism development, and the exploitation of the cultural values ​​of tea.

The province is also orienting the development of experiential tourism models in the tea-growing region, such as ecotourism, community tourism, homestays, and farmstays. These models contribute to promoting the Thai Nguyen tea brand and creating additional livelihoods for people in the tea-growing area.

According to Deputy Chairperson of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Loan: Developing the tea industry in the coming period needs to be linked with brand building, tourism development, and the exploitation of the cultural values ​​of tea. This is an important direction to enhance the value and competitiveness of Thai Nguyen tea products.

The adjustments in the implementation plan for Resolution 11 have also received attention and expectations from tea producers in the province. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, Director of Nguyen Viet Safe Tea Cooperative in Dong Hy commune, shared: "Tea producers hope that policies supporting science and technology, building raw material areas, and promoting trade will be implemented more strongly. When production is organized in a chain and products are widely promoted, the value of Thai Nguyen tea will continue to increase."

With synchronized adjustments ranging from organizational implementation mechanisms and development goals to the application of science and technology and market expansion, the new plan to implement Resolution No. 11-NQ/TU is expected to create further momentum for the Thai Nguyen tea industry.

In the context of agriculture transforming towards green, sustainable, and deeply integrated practices, these steps contribute to enhancing the brand value of Thai Nguyen tea and open up long-term development prospects for the province's tea industry.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202603/mo-khong-gian-phat-trien-moi-cho-nganh-che-d117ca2/