International visitors experience coffee harvesting at a plantation in Ia Sao Commune, Gia Lai

Modernizing agriculture for higher value

As Gia Lai enters a new stage of development, it is comprehensively restructuring its agriculture sector toward a modern, ecological, and sustainable model, shifting from output-driven growth to improving quality, value added, and resource-use efficiency. This provides the foundation for agriculture to continue serving as a pillar of the provincial economy.

Under its 2025-2030 development strategy, the sector is reorganizing production into large-scale commercial operations while developing specialized production areas linked to processing and exports. Key products, including coffee, pepper, rubber, cashews, durian, bananas, and passion fruit, will continue to be developed as concentrated raw material zones to ensure a stable supply for processing enterprises and exporters. Meanwhile, rice and vegetable production will be maintained at appropriate levels to ensure food security.

One of the sector's priorities is improving production quality by adopting VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and organic farming standards while establishing planting area codes and product traceability systems. These are essential requirements for Gia Lai's agricultural products to meet increasingly stringent standards in domestic and international markets.

The livestock sector will continue shifting toward large-scale, technology-driven farming with stronger disease control. Aquaculture will focus on sustainable growth by improving offshore fishing efficiency and expanding high-tech farming.

Forestry will continue to play an important role in the province's green economic development strategy. Gia Lai is promoting large-timber plantations, developing non-timber forest products, expanding forest environmental services, and tapping the potential of ecotourism while gradually participating in the carbon market to increase the economic value of its forests. By 2030, the province aims to increase forest coverage to approximately 46.5%.

Alongside production development, the New Rural Development Program is focusing on improving quality while integrating rural economic development, One Commune One Product (OCOP) products, and experiential tourism. Policies supporting livelihoods, vocational training, and job creation will continue to receive attention, particularly in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Through these coordinated solutions, Gia Lai's Department of Agriculture and Environment aims to achieve annual GRDP growth of approximately 3.8-4% by 2030, with agriculture contributing nearly 20% of the province's economy. More importantly, Gia Lai's agriculture is shifting from "agricultural production" to an "agricultural economy," with value added, technology, and markets driving growth.

A high-tech pig farm in Gia Lai

Building green value chains to elevate agricultural products

Beyond expanding production, Gia Lai is focusing on developing agricultural value chains linked to deep processing, technological innovation, and market expansion. This is the province's core strategy for increasing the value of agricultural products and strengthening the competitiveness of its agriculture sector. It also aims to significantly increase the share of deep processing for key commodities while advancing high-tech agriculture, organic farming, and the circular economy.

At the same time, the province continues developing standardized raw material areas and expanding value-chain partnerships between businesses and farmers. Gia Lai has established nine raw material zones for key crops and currently has 217 production-to-market linkage chains. By 2030, it aims to increase this to approximately 300-350 chains, providing a foundation for large-scale, stable production.

A key feature of the province's development strategy is strengthening the leading role of businesses. Major companies such as Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd., Nafoods Tay Nguyen Joint Stock Company, and THAGRICO Highlands Fruit Co., Ltd. are expected to develop large-scale raw material zones while investing in processing plants, cold storage facilities, and logistics systems, helping build integrated value chains from production to market.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is also accelerating the application of science, technology, and digital transformation throughout the production chain. The establishment of planting area codes, product traceability systems, and standardized production processes is creating favorable conditions for Gia Lai's agricultural products to enter increasingly demanding international markets.

Initial results have validated the province's development direction. Gia Lai's passion fruit became Vietnam's first passion fruit exported to Europe under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Lopang Banana products are now distributed through 81 supermarkets in South Korea, while coffee, pepper, and durian continue expanding their presence in markets across Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

In the coming years, alongside completing infrastructure and expanding the processing industry, Gia Lai will continue developing a low-emission, circular, and environmentally friendly agriculture sector that meets international standards for sustainable development.