The climate and soil of Cao Bang are ideal for growing many types of farm produce with high economic value – Photo: caobang.gov.vn

Developing products from ethnic minority areas

Cao Bang is a northern mountainous province with more than 95 percent of its population being ethnic minorities. It is rich in cultural identity and boasts many characteristic products with high economic value, such as black jelly, arrowroot vermicelli, sausages, Shan Tuyet tea, and various precious medicinal herbs. In recent years, the development and promotion of products from ethnic minorities and mountainous areas have always been a key focus of the province, aiming to increase product value and expand domestic and international markets.

According to the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the province has implemented the National Target Program on Socioeconomic Development in Ethnic Minority-inhabited and Mountainous Areas with a total funding of VND3.289 billion. The program focuses on various important activities to bring local specialty products closer to consumers, boosting sustainable development for businesses, cooperatives, and household businesses.

“One of the key tasks is organizing six promotional market sessions for products from ethnic minority and mountainous areas. These markets not only introduce the province’s specialty products, but also create opportunities to connect with potential markets, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh... These are important bridges that help local products reach larger markets, increase their economic value, and expand distribution channels,” said Be Ngoc Dung, Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

Through the market sessions, many standout agricultural products from Cao Bang Province’s districts of Bao Lac, Quang Hoa, and Thach An, such as An Lai arrowroot vermicelli, sausages, and medicinal herbs, have attracted significant attention from businesses and consumers. This creates opportunities for local specialty products to access and dominate the market, while also affirming the value of highland agricultural products, building their strong brands and contributing to sustainable economic development for ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

To maximize the value of Cao Bang’s agricultural products and help ethnic minority communities achieve sustainable poverty alleviation, one of the most notable activities of the department in the past year was the participation in the 2024 ASEAN-China Import-Export Trade Fair in Ping Xiang. This event opened up great business opportunities for Cao Bang’s businesses, contributing to elevating the province’s specialty products, especially those from ethnic minority and mountainous regions.

Alongside product promotion activities for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the province has also focused on enhancing promotional capabilities for businesses, cooperatives, and household businesses. In 2024, Cao Bang organized 14 training courses on developing human resources in the field of commerce, attracting 459 learners. The training programs focused on skills in e-commerce, brand building, packaging design, accessing modern retail systems, and expanding markets.

In particular, thanks to the application of information technology to the promotion process, local people have had the opportunity to cooperate and introduce their specialty products on e-commerce platforms, offering customers more choices. This not only increases the value of goods, but also lays the foundation for sustainable development, contributing to the growing prosperity of the ethnic minority and mountainous regions.

Many agricultural products of Cao Bang Province have become top choices for consumers – Photo: caobang.gov.vn

Despite achieving many positive results, Cao Bang still faces several challenges in promoting and distributing products from ethnic minority and mountainous regions, such as weak product competitiveness. Many businesses and cooperatives operate on a small scale and lack clear branding strategies. Limitations in terms of design and packaging make it difficult for the products to compete with major brands.

Moreover, the access to international markets remains challenging due to strict export standards that many businesses have not yet met. Additionally, there are not many organizations with the capacity to build a sustainable distribution system abroad.

Enhanced promotion

According to Be Ngoc Dung, Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, in the context of international economic integration, to expand the consumption market for products from ethnic minority and mountainous areas, Cao Bang will continue to participate in international trade fairs, expand markets, and increase product value.

In addition to focusing on organizing local market sessions to introduce products and help consumers access regional specialties, another highlight in the strategy for 2025 is the organization of a product week for ethnic minority and mountainous areas. This program aims to enhance brand recognition, increase product value, and help businesses and cooperatives connect with more potential customers. Through the product week, consumers will have the opportunity to explore the unique products of the province in greater detail, thereby boosting consumption demand and ensuring sustainable development.

“The implementation of these programs not only helps promote Cao Bang’s specialty products, but also contributes to the preservation of traditional culture and sustainable livelihoods for people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas,” emphasized the Deputy Director of the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

A booth at the Cao Bang (Vietnam) - Baise (China) International Trade Fair – Photo: VNA

Recognizing the importance of digital technology in product promotion, Cao Bang is actively supporting businesses, cooperatives, and household businesses to bring products to e-commerce platforms, such as Voso.vn, Postmart.vn, Shopee, Lazada, etc. This is an inevitable trend that helps the province’s specialty products reach customers nationwide without being limited by geographical distance.

Moreover, the province encourages producers to apply QR code scanning for traceability on product packaging, ensuring transparency regarding product origin and production processes, which helps increase consumer trust. Utilizing technology in product promotion not only enhances value, but also facilitates the export of provincial products to international markets.

With a systematic promotional strategy, the support from the Government, and the efforts of businesses, products from ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Cao Bang are gradually setting a firm foothold in both domestic and international markets. 2025 will be a pivotal year for the province to continue boosting trade promotion, expanding the promotional scale, and applying modern technology to increase product value and create sustainable development opportunities for businesses, cooperatives, and household enterprises.

These activities will not only help elevate the local economy, but will also contribute to preserving the traditional culture of ethnic minorities and creating stable livelihoods for the people. With the right approach, the products from Cao Bang’s ethnic minority and mountainous areas are expected to be strongly positioned on the domestic and international markets.