Lam Dong seeks sustainable market opportunities for local farm products

At the conference, delegates presented a range of discussions on the potential, competitive advantages, and development orientation of the agricultural sector in the context of international integration. Key topics focused on developing standardized raw material areas, deep processing, product traceability, quality control, and expanding consumption markets. These issues highlight the growing need to strengthen linkages among production, processing, and distribution in order to enhance the competitiveness of Lam Dong's agricultural products.

According to Mr. Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Director of the Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Environment, following the merger, Lam Dong Province now has favorable conditions to establish large-scale concentrated production areas, diversify agricultural ecosystems, strengthen regional linkages, and expand agricultural processing and exports. The province currently covers a natural area of approximately 24,000 square kilometers, most of which consists of fertile basalt soil and a mild climate suitable for developing a wide variety of crops and livestock. This provides an important foundation for building a large-scale, modern, and sustainable agricultural sector.

Lam Dong has a wide range of export-oriented agricultural sectors. Annual coffee output exceeds 1 million tons, while vegetable production reaches around 3.5 million tons and flower production totals approximately 4.6 billion stems per year. The province currently has more than 1,200 growing area codes and over 300 packing facility codes serving export activities. Local agricultural products have been exported to China, the United States, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

Assessments presented at the conference showed that the agricultural sector has continued to play a key role in the local economy in recent years, contributing positively to the province’s GRDP growth.

For the organic product sector, production units are gradually shifting toward safer and more environmentally friendly practices. Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Quang Phu Organic Agriculture and Forestry Cooperative, affirmed that safe, organic, and eco-friendly agricultural production has become an inevitable requirement as consumers are increasingly concerned about health and product quality.

Currently, Quang Phu Cooperative is linked to approximately 300 hectares of production areas in Lam Dong and Dak Lak provinces. Many products, including oranges, tangerines, tomatoes, and vegetables, have obtained domestic organic certification and are in the process of completing documentation for EU organic certification. The cooperative has supplied products to partners in South Korea and Japan, while also developing distribution chains with the Mega supermarket system.

Alongside organic products, coffee continues to be regarded as a key sector with strong potential to increase export value. Mr. Bach Thanh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association, stated that as Vietnam participates in a range of new-generation free trade agreements such as the EVFTA, CPTPP, and RCEP, the Vietnamese coffee industry in general, and Lam Dong in particular, has significant growth potential but also faces numerous challenges.

According to Mr. Bach Thanh Tuan, following the merger, Lam Dong has become the locality with the largest coffee cultivation area in the country, with around 314,000 hectares currently under harvest. However, the coffee sector still mainly exports raw green coffee beans, while deep processing remains below its potential. International brand value is still limited, and the industry remains heavily dependent on fluctuations in global prices, logistics, exchange rates, and international trade policies.

In addition to assessing development potential, the conference also recorded concrete business connections as six cooperatives and enterprises from Lam Dong Province signed memoranda of understanding with purchasing units and domestic and international partners to strengthen production linkages, promote agricultural product consumption, and expand markets for local agricultural products.