Sơn La steps up trade links to take Arabica coffee to global markets

Sơn La steps up trade links to take Arabica coffee to global markets

Sơn La is strengthening trade links with international partners to expand markets for its Arabica coffee, improve value addition and raise export earnings to US$186 million by 2030.

Sơn La coffee products are showcased at the Sơn La Coffee Festival to connect with international buyers and expand export markets. — VNS Photo Mai Hương

ơn La is stepping up efforts to connect its Arabica coffee producers with overseas trade offices, international distributors and importers to expand export markets, tap demand for premium coffee and raise the value of its coffee industry.

The trade promotion conference on October 11, jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, brought together local coffee producers with overseas trade offices, importers and distributors from the US, the UK, Türkiye, Germany, Singapore and China.

Participants discussed import demand, consumer preferences, technical requirements and market access, with a focus on premium and speciality coffee. Representatives of Việt Nam’s trade offices overseas also advised local businesses on how to approach individual markets and meet their requirements.

Both Việt Nam and Sơn La need to move beyond raw coffee exports and capture greater value through deeper processing, stronger branding and closer links across the supply chain.

Vũ Bá Phú, director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, said Sơn La has significant potential to expand into premium and speciality coffee markets, given its large growing areas and high-quality Arabica beans.

He called on the province to move from selling products to promoting the value and identity of their growing regions, while adopting more systematic branding and data-driven trade promotion.

Nguyễn Thành Công, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the province would shift from production based on existing capacity to market-driven production, while prioritising quality, speciality coffee and deeper processing.

Sơn La coffee products are showcased at the Sơn La Coffee Festival to connect with international buyers and expand export markets. — VNS Photo Mai Hương

Scope to increase value

Sơn La has about 44,000ha of coffee plantations, with green coffee bean output estimated at 50,960 tonnes in 2026. It is the largest Arabica-growing area in northern Việt Nam.

Coffee export earnings exceeded US$112 million in 2025, but much of the province’s output is sold as raw coffee through companies based outside the province. Deep processing accounts for only 3-5 per cent of output, according to figures presented at the conference.

The province has about 1,120ha of speciality coffee, more than 35,000ha covered by sustainability certifications, two high-tech agricultural production zones and six sustainable production chains. It also has nine products certified under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, including one rated five stars.

By 2030, Sơn La aims to raise green coffee bean output to 60,000 tonnes, ensure more than 80 per cent of its coffee-growing area has sustainability certification and increase deep processing to more than 15 per cent. It targets export earnings of $186 million.

By 2035, the province aims to produce 62,800 tonnes of green coffee beans, digitise growing-area data across more than 90 per cent of its coffee-growing area and raise the share of deep processing to more than 20 per cent.

Compliance with international standards is becoming increasingly important as Sơn La seeks to expand exports, particularly to the European Union, according to the province’s leader.

The province is collecting and reviewing growing-area data to meet the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), while encouraging greener farming practices and improved traceability.

The conference, held as part of the second Sơn La Coffee Festival 2026. Five memoranda of understanding were signed Five MoUs were signed between local cooperatives and businesses and domestic and international partners to expand distribution channels and market access for Sơn La’s Arabica coffee..

The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency pledged continued support through the National Brand Programme, national trade promotion programmes and the GoGlobal initiative to help local businesses access international markets. 

Bizhub