Doveco inaugurates USD 4 million paper-can production line

On the morning of July 2, in Mai Son commune (Son La province), Dong Giao Export Food Joint Stock Company (Doveco) held the inauguration ceremony for Vietnam’s first Swedish technology-based paper-can production line, marking a new milestone in advancing processed agricultural products and affirming its position in the global value chain.

Attending the ceremony were former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) Nguyen Xuan Cuong; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam; former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the Vietnam Gardening Association Le Quoc Doanh.

Representing Son La province were Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Lo Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Cong, along with former provincial leaders.

Leading with technology

The new production line, developed through a partnership between Doveco and Tetra Pak Vietnam, features the Tetra Recart technology and represents an investment of USD 4 million. This is currently the most advanced system for processing fruits and vegetables, using paper-based packaging that significantly extends shelf life without the need for preservatives or refrigeration. The final products retain their original flavor, color, and nutritional value. These are critical standards required by demanding markets such as Japan and the EU.

With a capacity of up to 6,000 cartons per hour, this technology helps reduce packaging, energy, and labor costs while significantly minimizing environmental waste. “We are not investing for the present, but for the future of Vietnamese agricultural products,” affirmed Mr. Dinh Cao Khue, Chairman of Doveco’s Board of Directors.

Doveco began its collaboration with Sweden’s Tetra Pak in 2002 to establish a concentrated pineapple production line in Ninh Binh. More than two decades later, that line continues to operate smoothly and plays a significant role in expanding Vietnam’s presence in international markets. That success laid the foundation for the company to place even greater trust in this new advancement in Son La - an area undergoing a strong agricultural transformation.

Following the installation, a batch of sweet corn packaged using Tetra Recart technology was successfully exported to Japan, widely regarded as one of the most demanding markets, opening new doors for agricultural products from the Northwest region of Vietnam.

Driving policy: Strengthening model farms

Beyond being a leading agricultural processor, Doveco is also recognized as a key driver in promoting agricultural value chains. Crops like corn and soybeans, once left unsold in fields, now have a reliable market. Thousands of farmers in the province enjoy stable output and no longer face the dilemma of "bumper crops but plummeting prices."

Mr. Hoang Quoc Viet, Deputy Director of Trung Hieu Organic Cooperative, one of the partners that has been working with the company since 2017, shared: “We currently have over 800 hectares dedicated to growing sweet corn and edamame soybeans under contract. Each year, we supply Doveco with around 6,000 tons of corn and 3,000 to 5,000 tons of vegetable soybeans. Thanks to stable purchasing prices, the average income, after expenses, reaches about VND 100 million per hectare per year.”

Farmers no longer worry about who will buy their produce or what price they will get, the term “produce rescue” is gradually becoming a thing of the past. That is the true value of a linked value chain, in which the Doveco factory plays a central role serving as the hub for collecting, processing, and distributing agricultural products to both domestic and international markets.

At the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam praised Doveco's strategic move, affirming that the company is aligning well with the Ministry's orientation to develop key fruit crops by 2025 and 2030, with a focus on deep processing and high-tech applications.

“Enterprises that secure raw material areas, operate within a value chain, and invest in modern technology will be the ones to master the market,” the Deputy Minister emphasized. He also called on local authorities to rezone their cultivation areas and focus on developing crops with competitive advantages to meet the demands of processing and export.

On the local side, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, stated that Doveco's success is a clear testament to the province’s policy of developing agriculture toward commercialization, applying technology, and reorganizing production.

“In the past, this land was mainly used to grow corn and cassava, which had low value and were difficult to sell. Thanks to enterprises like Doveco investing in processing and guaranteeing product off-take, local farmers have confidently shifted to cultivating high-value fruits and vegetables using safe production practices gradually escaping poverty and moving toward prosperity,” Mr. Cong said.

Doveco currently operates three major processing centers located in Ninh Binh, Gia Lai, and Son La. All facilities are equipped with modern technology, meet international standards, and their products are well-received in more than 50 countries. According to Mr. Dinh Cao Khue, market demand is currently exceeding the company's supply capacity, forcing the enterprise to expand both its production scale and raw material sourcing areas in order to fulfill orders.