Certified Farming Expands, Creating Greater Value for Lam Dong Agriculture
As more farmland in Lam Dong achieves VietGAP and GlobalGAP certification, farmers and businesses are gaining greater market access, higher product value and more sustainable income opportunities.
Certified Production Opens New Market Opportunities
Nguyen Thi Mai’s family cultivates two hectares of short-term vegetables, including cabbage and Chinese cabbage, in Quang Hop Hamlet, Quang Son Commune. She said her vegetable-growing area has recently obtained VietGAP certification and is now progressing toward organic certification.
As a result, most of her produce, along with that of several linked farming households, has been purchased under contract by a major distributor operating a nationwide retail network. After several months of cooperation, the company has expressed interest in increasing procurement volumes thanks to the products' compliance with food safety standards.
Seizing this opportunity, Mai is seeking additional growers with at least one hectare of cultivated land to expand production. However, participating households must strictly comply with production protocols to ensure consistent quality and stable yields, thereby maintaining long-term partnerships with purchasing enterprises.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Lam Dong has consistently prioritized the adoption of sustainable production standards to improve agricultural quality, enhance product value and market competitiveness.
During the first six months of 2026, an additional 1,010 hectares received new quality certifications, bringing the province’s total certified agricultural area to 154,375 hectares.
Of this total, 23,800 hectares have obtained VietGAP or GlobalGAP certification, while 4,075 hectares are under organic production. Certified coffee plantations meeting 4C, UTZ and Rainforest Alliance standards now cover 126,500 hectares.
Provincial authorities are currently reviewing and supporting 80 applications for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and organic production certification, while also assisting five small and medium-sized enterprises in applying production standards and promoting commercial activities.
A representative of an agricultural certification and consulting organization operating in the province said the organization has organized numerous training courses to strengthen the capacity of agricultural officials, extension workers, cadastral officers, village heads, farmer group leaders and producers across Lam Dong.
According to the representative, many of the province's key agricultural sectors—including coffee, pepper and fruit production—have made significant progress in adopting good agricultural practices and ensuring food safety.
"This is an encouraging signal and provides a solid foundation for authorities and localities to strengthen trade promotion, market development and stable supply chain linkages for agricultural products," the representative noted.
Certification Drives Sustainable Agricultural Growth
At a recent agricultural trade promotion conference, Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, emphasized that many domestic and international partners have expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation and increasing procurement of Lam Dong's agricultural, forestry and fishery products.
He noted that expanding and maintaining certified farming areas among farmers, cooperatives and enterprises provides a solid foundation for strengthening production linkages, promoting agricultural processing industries, increasing product value and ensuring stable incomes for producers.
According to Tan, meeting certification standards has become an essential requirement for farmers seeking to enhance product competitiveness and promote sustainable agricultural development.