Localities nationwide have increased greater support for farmers in remote, ethnic-minority-inhabited areas in selling agricultural products.

Lai Chau province has favorable natural conditions, suitable for growing profitable trees like macadamia, fruit trees, medicinal herbs, and vegetables. In recent years, Lai Chau has expanded growing areas of macadamia, banana and rice in Phong Tho, Tam Duong, and Than Uyen district.

Lai Chau has adopted several incentives to boost production and sales links for agricultural products. Farmers, cooperatives, and agricultural businesses enjoy new technology incentives when participating in value chains.

To boost agricultural sales in remote, ethnic minority areas, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade has increased trade promotion and e-commerce support for businesses, cooperatives, and farmers, helping them master modern machinery in production, register for trademark protection, and improve packaging and product quality.

Le Xuan Tien, Deputy Director of Lai Chau province’s Department of Industry and Trade, said that between 2021 and 2025, Lai Chau will develop 7 markets in ethnic minority areas.

“The provincial Department of Industry and Trade has advised the provincial People’s Committee to outline 16 programs to connect all local agricultural products to the supermarket system and commercial centers in Lai Chau and other localities,” said Tien.

Son La province is now the largest fruit growing area in the north and ranks second in Vietnam with local agricultural products exported to many demanding markets around the world and annual export value of 150-170 million USD.

This achievement is partly due to Son La’s efforts to promote the sales of farm produce through trade fairs, trade sessions, modern distribution channels, and online platforms.

Trade promotion has helped Son La export its agricultural products to 12 countries, sell to large supermarkets like Lotte, Hapro, and WinMart, build a reputation in the domestic market for its product quality.

Quang Van Duong, a member of Xuan Tien agricultural cooperative, said that all local farmers and cooperatives want to increase product sales in the domestic market and export our products to other countries.

Binh Phuoc province has favorable soil and climate for growing cashew trees. It has become Vietnam’s cashew capital, making up nearly half of the cultivation area and more than half of total output of cashews in Vietnam. Cashews have become one of Binh Phuoc’s main export items.

Than Thi Xiem, Director of An Thuan Phat MTV Company, said that, for many years, her company has helped farmers promote and sell cashew products.

She recalled, “We’ve stood side by side with farmers in Binh Phuoc, including those of the Stieng ethnic minority group, for many years. We help them during the rainy season and during the harvest season, we help them transport their cashews to Binh Phuoc's factories.”

Sales of farm produce have been enhanced through trade fairs, trade sessions, modern distribution channels, and online platforms.

Over the past few years, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and local departments and sectors have increased trade promotion activities to connect supply and demand for local products, especially those of ethnic minority people.

The Ministry has enhanced regional links to sell agricultural products through e-commerce platforms and worked with e-commerce trading floors to design specialized pages for agricultural products.

According to Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as the world is entering a digital transformation era, participating in the process and enjoying the results that digital transformation brings is an inevitable trend agricultural businesses and farm households.

“The Trade Promotion Department has worked with e-commerce platforms to find ways to help domestic businesses take part in e-commerce and export their goods through e-commerce channels,” said Phu.