Difficulties

The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang is renowned for its specialty agricultural products, such as Ong sticky rice, Trung Khanh chestnuts, Shan Tuyet tea, and various temperate vegetables. However, due to its rugged terrain, challenging transportation, and limited market access, finding markets for local agricultural products remains a difficult issue, especially for ethnic minority communities.

Currently, most of Cao Bang’s agricultural products are sold through small-scale traders, leading to unstable prices that are heavily dependent on market conditions. The local people, primarily from the Tay, Nung, Mong, and Dao ethnic groups, are still struggling to find sustainable sales channels for their products.

Cao Bang Province aims to double the average income of ethnic minorities by the end of 2025 compared to 2020 – Photo: Thong Thien

The challenges are immense, as many farmers have yet to adopt modern production methods and still rely on traditional farming practices, resulting in inconsistent product quality and limited market competitiveness. In particular, the lack of market information makes them vulnerable to price suppression, leading to unstable incomes. Additionally, post-harvest preservation remains inadequate, causing significant losses during transportation and distribution. This is a concerning issue that requires strong intervention from local authorities, businesses, and support organizations to help ethnic minority communities in mountainous areas improve their economic well-being.

In an interview with Vietnam Economic News, Pham Thi Chinh, Director of Phan Hoang Production and Trading Co., Ltd., shared her perspective as a business leader, stating that seeking markets for agricultural products from ethnic minority communities is a significant challenge. Although Cao Bang’s agricultural products are of high quality, ensuring their sustainable market presence faces numerous obstacles, from production and procurement to distribution.

Chinh stated, “Most farmers still rely on traditional farming methods and lack a clear raw material zoning plan, leading to inconsistent product quality. This makes it difficult for businesses to purchase in large quantities for market supply.” Additionally, the lack of linkages between farmers and businesses limits quality control, making it challenging for products to meet the standards required by supermarkets or export markets.

Another issue Chinh emphasized is the weakness in post-harvest preservation and processing. “Due to a lack of investment in deep processing, many high-value products are mostly sold in raw form with low added value. Meanwhile, the market is increasingly demanding better packaging, branding, and traceability. Without changes, agricultural products can hardly compete,” she shared.

Solutions

Pham Thi Chinh’s company believes that strengthening linkages between farmers and businesses will help ensure stable sales of agricultural products and prevent price drops during bumper harvests. One key approach is to establish a cooperative model connecting farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and businesses. Many agricultural cooperatives have been formed to organize centralized production, ensuring consistent product quality and meeting market standards. Businesses also play a crucial role in signing purchasing contracts, making farmers feel secure about their production.

“We are collaborating with supermarkets and clean food stores to bring local agricultural products into mainstream distribution channels. This helps maintain reasonable prices without depending on traders,” shared the Director of Phan Hoang Production and Trading Co., Ltd.

Efforts are underway to find markets for Cao Bang’s agricultural products – Photo: Trinh Bo

To expand the production scale, some cooperatives need to collaborate with businesses to adopt VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, ensuring higher quality and eligibility for international markets. This inevitable trend will help promote Cao Bang’s agricultural products’ access to new markets and create stable livelihoods for local farmers.

Recognizing the challenges facing ethnic minority farmers in expanding the market for their agricultural products, the Cao Bang provincial government has implemented various support programs to boost sales. According to Be Ngoc Dung, Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Department of Industry and Trade, the province will continue to organize trade fairs and agricultural product weeks in major cities throughout 2025 to promote local specialties.

“Through trade fairs and exhibitions, we aim not only to raise public awareness of Cao Bang’s products, but also to connect local businesses and cooperatives with potential partners, expand market access, and introduce the province’s signature agricultural products to both domestic and international markets,” Be Ngoc Dung emphasized.

In addition, local authorities will continue to organize training programs for ethnic minority farmers on organic farming techniques and the application of VietGAP standards. These efforts aim to improve product quality, enhance competitiveness, and create sustainable livelihoods. Notably, support programs will focus on preserving and promoting traditional farming methods while integrating modern science and technology to ensure sustainable agricultural production.

Additionally, Cao Bang Province will strengthen market connections and support ethnic minority farmers in joining agricultural cooperatives and processing enterprises to expand the market for their products. Preferential policies on loans, vocational training, and trade promotion will be implemented to create favorable conditions for economic development, helping farmers escape poverty while preserving and promoting their cultural heritage in agricultural production.

With continuous efforts, Cao Bang is gradually expanding the reach of its local agricultural products, improving the livelihoods of ethnic minority communities, and promoting sustainable economic development. With strong support from government policies and proactive engagement from farmers, Cao Bang has the potential to become a model for mountainous agricultural economic growth.