Rather than small-scale, fragmented cultivation mainly serving family subsistence or local markets, the province is oriented toward expanding acreage appropriately, selecting crops with high economic value, and progressively organizing production based on commercial orders linked with procurement, processing, and off-take channels.

Following the autumn rice harvest, farmers have expeditiously prepared the land and sowed winter crops. In lowland basin communes - endowed with relatively flat topography, abundant irrigation water, and favorable transportation links - winter crop farming is becoming a production direction drawing widespread interest from farming households. Depending on soil conditions, investment capacity, and market demand, farmers select vegetables suited to season, growing duration, and commercial consumption capacity.

After harvesting over 1,000ha of autumn rice, farmers in Thanh Nưa commune promptly took to the fields to till the soil and cultivate winter crops. The primary crops include vegetables, tomatoes, cabbages, and cucumbers. In this winter season, the family of Lò Thị Nương, from Bó village, Thanh Nưa commune, planted nearly 2,000m2 of various winter crops, mainly vegetables and tomatoes. Nương shared that her family determines the winter crop to be a major production season as well, taking advantage of the window immediately following the rice harvest to optimize land use and ensure seasonal timeliness. Leafy greens and vegetables are easy to grow and yield quick harvests, serving household consumption needs while generating market sales to boost income.

Thanks to proactive crop restructuring, the winter vegetable acreage of Thanh Nưa commune has expanded from 65ha in 2020 to over 400ha currently. To secure stable market off-take, farmers sow crops in accordance with local recommendations rather than monoculturing a single variety; simultaneously, they progressively apply technical advances and establish consumption linkages to heighten production value.

According to Chu Văn Bách, Chairman of the Thanh Nưa commune People’s Committee, winter crops generate substantial income, helping elevate the people’s standard of living. To maximize production efficiency, the commune encourages farmers to expand acreage reasonably, select high-value crops, adopt technical advances, and step by step shape concentrated farming zones, linking production to market demand and raising agricultural produce value.

Not only in Thanh Nưa commune, but across various localities in recent years, the winter crop has steadily affirmed its standing in the agricultural production structure. Under the 2026 winter production plan, the entire province plans to cultivate 2,795.3ha of various crops, an increase of 15.77% compared to the 2025 realized performance. Total yield is projected to reach 33,899.84 tons, up 13.14%; production value is estimated at VND 169.56 billion, an increase of 16.35%. These targets indicate that the winter crop is designated as a developmental trajectory to elevate land-use efficiency, diversify agricultural products, and improve rural earnings.

In the winter crop structure, various vegetables continue to play the primary role with a projected area of 1,207ha, accounting for over 43% of the total acreage. Average yield is expected to reach 19.9 tons/ha, generating roughly 24,000 tons with an estimated production value of VND 120 billion. Maize accounts for 910ha, yielding 2,957 tons valued at approximately VND 14 billion; sweet potatoes cover 220ha, yielding 2,860 tons valued at VND 9.72 billion; peanuts occupy 115ha, yielding 155 tons valued at more than VND 2.29 billion. Diversifying crop patterns enables localities to curb reliance on a narrow set of produce, providing farmers with greater choices tailored to soil conditions, water availability, and production capacity.

Currently, farmers are actively sowing and tending to diverse crops. Along with expanding winter crop acreage, the province places emphasis on off-take partnerships and consumption linkages, averting price volatility and erratic market demand that directly undermine investment returns.

A concrete direction involves developing raw material zones linked to processing and off-take enterprises. For the 2026 winter crop, the province guides production of sweet corn, Japanese edamame soybeans, and passion fruit across 11 communes and wards: Mường Thanh, Thanh Yên, Thanh Nưa, Núa Ngam, Sam Mứn, Chiềng Sinh, Quài Tở, Pú Nhung, Mường Mùn, Tuần Giáo, and Xa Dung. The total acreage registered for contract farming and off-take linkages with Đồng Giao Food Export Joint Stock Company reached 310.85ha, with an anticipated output of around 3,076 tons. Within this, sweet corn accounts for 213ha, with an expected productivity of 15.0 tons/ha, equivalent to an output of roughly 3,199 tons. Japanese soybeans cover 62ha, with an expected yield of 6.0 tons/ha, generating about 372 tons. Passion fruit is registered across 35.4ha.

Contract farming opens opportunities for farmers to participate in value chains with well-defined output channels, especially for produce serving industrial processing. When planting acreage, crop calendar, and varieties are agreed upon with enterprises, production scheduling becomes far more proactive, mitigating risks of output outpacing demand or synchronized harvesting exerting downward pressure on market prices. Simultaneously, businesses proactively secure input materials, while farmers have firm ground to calculate investment schemes, tending schedules, and harvesting timelines. This represents a strategic avenue requiring focused attention to curb reliance on small-scale, fragmented retail markets, particularly during peak supply windows.

To stimulate winter crop production, Điện Biên province has rolled out numerous practical support policies, creating incentives for farmers to scale up. Examples include Resolution No.23/2026/NQ-HĐND of the provincial People’s Council on support policies for agricultural restructuring toward concentrated, green, smart, and sustainable commodity production; and Resolution No.21/2026/NQ-HĐND stipulating support levels for production development projects financed by national target programs during the 2026–2030 period. These mechanisms have encouraged farmers to invest boldly, apply science and technology, implement rational crop restructuring, and expand winter production toward commercial commodity standards.

Transforming the winter crop into a major production season requires Điện Biên to continue leveraging the advantages of each region, combining acreage expansion with improvements in productivity, quality, and economic efficiency. Within this, enterprise linkages, off-take stabilization, and market-oriented production organization serve as decisive factors. When farmers proactively transform production mindsets, boldly adopt modern techniques, and integrate into value chains, the winter season will contribute to enhancing agricultural value, boosting incomes, and driving local agriculture toward sustainable development.