Son La, a province marked by its economic challenges, is home to the Thai ethnic group, which forms the majority of its population. This region is blessed with a climate that is conducive to agriculture, boasting fertile lands and a topography characterized by undulating mountains that are cradled by basins and plateaus. These natural advantages make Son La an ideal location for the cultivation of coffee plants.
Recognizing the potential of their land, the local authorities and communities of Son La made a strategic decision years ago to focus on coffee cultivation as a key initiative for local economic development and poverty alleviation. The variety of coffee that has been primarily chosen for this purpose is Arabica, known for its smooth flavor and high market demand.
The cultivation of Arabica coffee in Son La is more than just an agricultural activity; it represents hope and a steady path towards progress for the local communities. The coffee farms have become a source of sustainable livelihood, helping to lift families out of poverty and stimulate economic growth in the region.
Moreover, the coffee industry in Son La has fostered a sense of unity and collective effort among the locals. It has encouraged the sharing of knowledge and best practices in coffee farming, which has led to improvements in both the quality and quantity of the coffee produced. This, in turn, has attracted the attention of both national and international markets, opening up new opportunities for the province’s coffee to be appreciated by connoisseurs around the world.
Journey Of Arabica Coffee Trees In Son La
As Son La continues to develop its coffee industry, it stands as a testament to the power of strategic agricultural planning in transforming the economic landscape of a region. The success story of Son La’s Arabica coffee is an inspiring example of how a focus on suitable crop selection, combined with the natural strengths of a region, can lead to significant social and economic benefits.
Present in Son La since 1945, after more than 70 years, Arabica coffee has become the main crop of this province. With a large planting area, Son La is the second largest Arabica coffee growing region in the country, only after Lam Dong province. Son La Arabica coffee is grown on slopes at the foot of low mountains or on shallow hills with altitudes from 900m to 1200m.
Arabica coffee is highly appreciated for its quality, grown in different conditions so it has a natural flavor. Products made from Arabica coffee are popular in domestic and foreign markets, and have higher value than Robusta coffee grown mainly in the Central Highlands.
Although coffee trees are not grown in basalt red soil and are not located at ideal altitudes like the Central Highlands provinces, in Son La there are soil types in the yellow-red soil group suitable for coffee trees such as Fk, Fv, Fs… At the same time, it is located at a fairly high latitude in the North (20039′ – 22002′ North latitude), so it does not require watering, but the Arabica coffee tree still has very strong vitality.
Over the years, many trees are several decades old, have large trunks, wide canopy, and coffee beans have a flavor that is not inferior to the tree varieties that the French have planted in Lam Dong, known since the 1930s. last century.
Son La coffee is produced from good quality Arabica coffee varieties, grown mainly in Mai Son, Thuan Chau and Son La city. To date, the coffee area in the province has reached over 12,000 hectares, and the 2016 green coffee output reached over 10,000 tons.
Son La coffee products include green coffee, roasted coffee beans and powdered coffee. Green coffee beans have long bean shape, bean size larger than 4.75mm, caffeine content from 0.8% to 1.28%, crude protein content from 10.5% to 15%, sugar content from 6. 8% to 9.2%; Roasted coffee beans and brown coffee powder, naturally fragrant. Caffeine content of roasted coffee beans and ground coffee ranges from 1.0% to 1.6%, crude protein content ranges from 11.6% to 13.2%, water-soluble content ranges from 29% to 36% .
“Son La” coffee water is cockroach brown in color, clear and has a sour, slightly bitter taste, with a long aftertaste. Sweetness and fruity flavor also create the characteristics of “Son La” coffee known to many consumers.
The reason why “Son La” coffee has such characteristics and reputation is partly due to the terrain, soil, and climate of the geographical area suitable for Arabica coffee varieties. Along with that, the long accumulated experience of local people from selecting varieties, choosing planting land to caring for and harvesting also increases the quality of “Son La” coffee.
