To date, over 4,700 ha of sloping, low-economic-efficiency land has been converted to grow high-value fruit trees linked with production and consumption chains. This direction is step-by-step altering the cultivation mindset of farmers, shaping a foundation to boost agricultural economic development toward an effective and sustainable path.

Strategic shifts to concentrated production zones

In 2021, Điện Biên province issued the Scheme on developing advantageous and specialty fruit trees toward concentrated and sustainable commodity production for the 2021-2025 period, with an orientation to 2030. The scheme opened up a shift from small-scale agricultural production to developing concentrated fruit tree zones linked with market demands. Following more than five years of implementing the Scheme, the entire province has converted nearly 600 ha of inefficient cultivation land to grow fruit trees, raising the total area to over 4,700 ha (an increase of 16.15% compared to 2025), with an output reaching nearly 10,800 tons. Within this, pineapple is a rapidly growing crop in terms of area, with a scale of over 1,100 ha, where the newly planted area reached over 604 ha and output achieved 3,282 tons.

In Pa Xa village, Thanh Yên commune, pineapple trees used to be cultivated by residents only on a small scale, primarily serving family needs. Since the province deployed the policy to expand raw material zones, alongside support policies for seedlings, fertilizers, and technical transfers, a new economic development direction has opened up for many households. Lò Văn Thoan, Secretary of the Pa Xa Village Party Cell, shared that growing households receive support for seedlings and fertilizers, alongside methodical technical process guidance, making the planting and care of pineapple trees highly favorable. He added that they are currently actively caring for the planted areas and remain determined to work with the local government to develop pineapples into a strong agricultural commodity, step-by-step upgrading local household incomes.

Diversifying high-value crops across communes

Recognized as the province’s key coffee region, in recent years Mường Ảng commune has also focused on expanding its fruit tree area along a commodity direction. The entire commune currently logs around 150 ha of fruit tree cultivation, primarily abiu and green-skinned pomelo, with an output estimated at nearly 600 tons/year. For instance, in Noong Hang village, the Mường Khoe Xanh Cooperative has planted more than 30 ha of fruit trees following an organic direction, featuring abiu as the key crop. On average each year, the cooperative supplies over 300 tons of clean fruit to the market, generating billions of VND in revenue.

Tòng Văn Pản, technical officer of the Mường Khoe Xanh Cooperative, stated that the climate and soil in Mường Ảng are highly suitable for high-end fruit tree lines. After four years of trial, abiu trees have yielded stable harvests and good quality, and moving forward, the cooperative will continue expanding its scale, transferring techniques, and signing product consumption underwriting contracts for local residents.

According to Lù Minh Cường, Deputy Head of the Mường Ảng Economic Bureau, alongside maintaining the coffee area, the locality focuses on replanning fruit tree growing zones toward commodity production. He highlighted that priority is given to expanding high-value varieties such as abiu and green-skinned pomelo, while mobilizing residents to convert low-economic-efficiency crops into these two types. He added that the locality also actively attracts enterprises to invest in deep processing to stabilize prices, construct safe production zones, and develop OCOP products, contributing to upgrading the value of agricultural products.

In Tìa Dình commune, yellow pear trees are selected as the core crop, heading toward building a signature OCOP brand. Responding to this policy, the family of Vàng A Cử in Tân Lập village boldly converted nearly 2 ha of low-economic-efficiency upland corn and cassava cultivation land to plant yellow pears and coffee. He noted that because this is a new crop for the villagers, it demands significant maintenance and technique, but thanks to timely guidance and support from specialized cadres, his family’s pear area has developed well, raising expectations that yellow pear and coffee cultivation will deliver higher returns than previous corn and cassava crops.

From initial models that bring efficiency, the party committee and authorities of Tìa Dình commune are stepping up propaganda, mobilizing residents to shift from small-scale production to developing commodity fruit trees that closely track market demands. Bùi Xuân Thức, Chairman of the commune People’s Committee, stated that alongside coffee and macadamia, Tìa Dình commune currently logs over 20 ha of yellow pears, with the entire area entering harvest season and yielding an average income of around VND 60 million/ha, serving as a foundation for the locality to finalize OCOP certification dossiers, contributing to generating livelihoods and upgrading incomes for local residents.

Securing value chains and market consumption

However, expanding the cultivation area is only one part of the fruit tree development equation, as a stable output serves as the decisive factor for residents to confidently invest in production. In Pú Nhung commune, the locality proactively built consumption linkages right from the formation of growing zones. Currently, the commune hosts nearly 300 ha of fruit trees, within which nearly 230 ha are planted under a concentrated model featuring mango and pineapple as the two key crops. Nguyễn Văn Bách, Chairman of the Pú Nhung commune People’s Committee, informed that the locality has signed product underwriting contracts with Doveco Sơn La, with the enterprise committing to purchasing the entire mango output at stable prices, while coordinating to plan and develop clean pineapple raw material zones.

According to Chu Thị Thanh Xuân, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, fruit tree development is one of the breakthrough spears in executing the province’s agricultural restructuring scheme. Currently, multiple large-scale fruit tree development projects, such as pineapple and passion fruit, are being deployed across localities, step-by-step forming concentrated raw material zones. Following the province’s orientation, fruit trees will be developed according to master plans linked with production-to-consumption chains instead of spontaneous development, where enterprises play a market-leading role and cooperatives or cooperative groups serve as the bridge between enterprises and citizens, helping organize production according to market demands and upgrade agricultural product values.

When links in the cooperation chain operate synchronously, ensuring harmonious benefits among all parties, Điện Biên province’s fruit tree products will enhance their competitiveness to access large markets, generating momentum for effective and sustainable agricultural development.