Son La coffee geographical indication announced
The northwestern province of Son La has announced Son La coffee as a collective brand and held Mai Son Coffee Festival in Mai Son district, an occasion to promote local coffee products.
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In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, French colonialists began planting coffee in Son La and other northern provinces, turning this region into an important producer of raw Arabica coffee for the French coffee industry of the time.
The coffee area in Son La has been expanded, concentrating in Mai Son and Thuan Chau districts and Son La city, especially since 1995 when the provincial People’s Committee approved a project to plant 3,000ha of coffee trees. The province considers Arabica coffee as a key plant for poverty reduction and economic development.
At the event on October 27, Chairman of the Mai Son district People’s Committee Tran Dac Thang said Son La is home to more than 12,000ha of coffee trees, 4,200ha or 34% of which are in Mai Son. The district harvests some 52,000 tonnes of coffee each year, earning VND368 billion (US$16.2 million) in revenue.
Up to 80% of coffee beans made in Son La are exported to the US, Japan and some other countries, he noted, adding that the reputation of Son La’s Arabica coffee has improved, asserting the province as a major Arabica producing hub of Vietnam.
The same day, local coffee and agricultural products were introduced at the festival.
On this occasion, the construction of a coffee factory named Phuc Sinh Son La in Chieng Mung commune of Mai Son district was launched. It is expected to be complete in eight months at total cost of VND48.6 billion (US$2.1 million).
