Son La develops agricultural processing industry

In recent years, Son La province has had many solutions in focusing on researching science and technology tasks, promoting the application of science and technology to agricultural production, agricultural processing by enterprises, cooperatives, and farmers... These solutions have contributed to improving the value, quality, and competitiveness of agricultural products with diverse products and many exported items...

Workers at Son La Coffee Processing Factory load and unload goods.

Son La province has about 84,000 hectares of fruit trees, of which more than 63,000 hectares are harvested, with an output of more than 379,000 tons. To preserve agricultural products for a long time, increase product value and serve exports, the province has increased investment, supported and promoted the development of 17 factories and 543 agricultural processing facilities.

Up to now, Son La's processed industrial products have become increasingly diverse and rich in quality and design with 154 OCOP products achieving 3 to 5 stars; the value of processed products has been significantly increased, welcomed by domestic and foreign consumers; notably tea, coffee, milk, tapioca starch, sugar, dried fruit products... Son La's agricultural sector has exported coffee to Germany, Malaysia; tea to Japan, Taiwan (China), Afghanistan; tapioca starch to China, Canada...

Mr. Pham Van Quyet, Director of Quyet Thanh Agricultural Cooperative, Moc Chau district, said: "Currently, we are maintaining six fruit processing and drying lines, with a capacity of 1.2 tons of fresh fruit/day. Investing in a dried fruit processing line has contributed to creating stable output and increasing the value of local agricultural products. Therefore, the application of science and technology in agricultural production plays an important role. In particular, it is necessary to ensure strict compliance with the announced production and processing processes for each product associated with implementing the development perspective in the region and area and forming a six-party linkage, including: State - farmers - enterprises - scientists - banking system - distributors".

Over the past three years, the agricultural processing industry of Son La province has developed in the right direction and achieved positive results. In the period of 2021-2023, the province has granted investment policies for six new projects. According to Mr. Ha Nhu Hue, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province, focusing on developing the agricultural processing industry has contributed to consuming most of the agricultural output of Son La and some neighboring provinces, such as: Processing 100% of fresh tea output, fresh coffee, milk, sugar cane, more than 40% of cassava output and more than 20% of various fruits output...; thereby, it has been and is making an important contribution to sustainable consumption, increasing the value of agricultural products, improving people's income and life, and increasing the province's budget revenue.

Along with the application of technology in processing, Son La province also implemented 32 scientific and technological tasks, of which the agricultural sector accounted for nearly 70%. Typically, with coffee trees, the province has researched and selected new coffee varieties with high quality and productivity, replacing old varieties and suitable for the soil and climate conditions of Son La province... contributing to expanding the area to nearly 20,000 hectares, the output is about 400,000 tons of fresh fruit/year, an increase of about 15-20% compared to old varieties, resistant to some types of pests and diseases, increasing the quality for export.

According to the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Son La province, the province has implemented a national urgent local project "Research on scientific and technological solutions to improve productivity, quality and develop sustainable longan production in Son La and some northern provinces". The results have selected four longan varieties with the ability to grow well, have good quality, and spread out the natural harvest for more than 60 days, such as early ripening longan varieties NS203, main ripening longan varieties T6, golden longan varieties 205...

To date, Son La has had 28 agricultural products bearing the province's geographical name granted protection certificates by the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology), including three geographical indications, 22 certification trademarks; three collective trademarks; two products protected abroad, including: Moc Chau Shan Tuyet tea products protected in the Thai market in 2017; Shan Tuyet tea and Yen Chau round mango are protected in the European market according to the commitment in the EVFTA Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union, which took effect in July 2020...

Mr. Luu Binh Khiem, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Son La said: The reality of applying technology to the production and processing of agricultural products in Son La shows that there is a need for more synchronous solutions such as building mechanisms and policies to support agricultural product processing facilities, improving technology absorption capacity and potential to improve production technology. In particular, priority should be given to applying policies such as: Tax reduction, preferential loan support or providing technology development funds, helping facilities have resources to invest in new technology; promoting the application, transfer of technology and technical advances, especially in developing typical, strong and key products of the province.

To continue exploiting the potential and promoting the agricultural processing industry in the area, Son La province continues to focus on producing key agricultural products by region, associated with processing and consuming products to attract businesses to invest in refined and deep processing. On the other hand, creating favorable conditions for businesses to invest in upgrading and building new factories with modern processing technology equipment lines, installing cool houses and cold houses in preserving vegetables and fruits; guiding businesses and other organizations to purchase agricultural products, farmers to use trademarks...

Article and photos: QUOC TUAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/son-la-phat-trien-cong-nghiep-che-bien-nong-san-post834271.html