Some initial thoughts on economic development in Western Nghe An.
To exploit and develop the economic strengths of the Mekong Delta, scientific, comprehensive, practical solutions are needed, consistent with a market economy and international integration under a socialist orientation.
Duc HauOctober 21, 2025
The 20th Congress of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, for the 2025-2030 term, was a great success. The most important and challenging issue is implementing the resolutions effectively to achieve the main goals and targets decided by the Congress. These targets include: a provincial gross domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of 12% or higher, a GRDP per capita of approximately 165-190 million VND, and an average increase of 12% or higher in state budget revenue. This requires high political determination from all levels and sectors, the entire political system, and every cadre, Party member, and citizen to actively participate based on specific plans and projects from the very beginning of the term.
Over the past five years, the Party committee, government, and people of the province have focused their efforts on exploiting and attracting investment, achieving many socio-economic results in the eastern region of the province. Investment projects have basically filled the Southeast Economic Zone and VSIP Nghe An 1, and now VSIP Nghe An 2 and 3 are showing promising signs of development.
Besides developing the economy of the eastern region, the challenge for the next five years, the 2025-2030 term, is to invest in the economic development of the western region of the province. This is a vast area (occupying 83% of the province's natural area, with over 1.4 million inhabitants, including over half a million ethnic minority people). The western region still has much untapped potential, such as land, tourism, and mineral resources.
To exploit and develop the economic strengths of the Mekong Delta, scientific, comprehensive, practical solutions are needed, consistent with a market economy and international integration under a socialist orientation.
First and foremost, it is essential to protect primary forests, special-use forests, and watershed forests to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters such as flash floods, landslides, and to preserve water resources and moisture for crops. Early selection and identification of key products should be prioritized, aiming for VietGAP and 3-star certification for fruit trees, long-term industrial crops, medicinal plants, etc., in order to develop concentrated raw material area plans and attract deep processing industries linked to domestic and international consumption.
Nghe An's agriculture once left a mark on the North (during the war) with vast rubber, coffee, and orange plantations in the Mekong Delta (at its peak, there were around 10,000 hectares of rubber, 10,000 hectares of oranges, and around 4,000 hectares of coffee). At that time, Vinh oranges not only dominated the domestic market but were also exported fresh to the Soviet Union. In subsequent years, the area under rubber cultivation decreased sharply, mainly due to the trees being easily broken or uprooted by strong winds and storms; coffee cultivation was hampered by a lack of irrigation water, making intensive farming and increasing productivity difficult; and orange trees suffered from poor varieties, soil degradation, and primarily from the rampant citrus greening disease, which was difficult to control effectively.
Currently, the selection of fruit trees and long-term industrial crops must be based primarily on market demand, scientific and technological advancements (varieties, cultivation techniques, etc.), soil conditions, and resistance to weather, pests, and diseases. Furthermore, the crops must be able to grow to high yields and large production volumes, allowing them to be processed into marketable products.
Among fruit trees such as oranges, pomelos, dragon fruit, longan, lychee, etc., pineapples have the most advantages.
According to Dong Giao Export Food Corporation (a reputable fruit processing enterprise in Vietnam), the global pineapple market is growing at 5-6% per year, with large and stable demand, especially for pineapple juice and canned pineapple products. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing natural foods that are best for their health, making pineapple a top choice. Pineapple plants are drought-tolerant, resistant to pests and diseases, and less affected by storms, making them very suitable for the climate of Nghe An province.
Besides the Queen pineapple variety, there are now Cayenne and MD2 varieties that yield high productivity and superior export quality, making them popular in the international market and suitable for the processing industry. In particular, pineapple cultivation can be regulated to produce fruit year-round, ensuring factories have sufficient raw materials for processing continuously for 10-12 months per year. Pineapple cultivation also offers significant economic benefits; each 18-month cycle yields a profit of approximately 350 million VND per hectare after deducting costs for land preparation, seeds, materials, and labor. In 2024, the whole country had planted 49,000 hectares, producing over 760,000 tons. In Nghe An province, the districts of Quynh Luu, Nghia Dan, and Yen Thanh (formerly) had planted over 1,785 hectares, with many intensive farming households achieving quite high yields.
If the area for pineapple cultivation in Nghe An is surveyed, planned, and land resources are regulated appropriately, it could expand to over 20,000 hectares. Specialized pineapple cultivation areas to supply raw materials to factories should also be concentrated in the three former districts mentioned above.
Regarding long-term industrial crops such as rubber, coffee, and tea, only tea should be identified as the main crop, focusing on planning a specialized cultivation area with high acreage, yield, and quality in the Anh Son and Thanh Chuong (formerly) regions.
This region has suitable soil and climate conditions for tea cultivation, and local farmers have a long tradition of growing tea. Tea plants are drought-tolerant, resistant to pests and diseases, and less susceptible to damage from heavy rains and storms. The tea export market is expanding in Eastern Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East. In 2024, the province had 8,788 hectares of tea plantations, but most were old varieties and not intensively cultivated, resulting in low yields and poor quality. Currently, there are a few tea processing factories in the province, mainly producing black tea, but their capacity is small and the technology is outdated, making it difficult for tea products to enter developed countries. The area of land for tea cultivation that can be exploited and planned is over 12,000 hectares.
Medicinal plants hold great promise because they are a rich and diverse resource that can be grown on alluvial land, under the canopy of planted and natural forests, and yield the highest economic value per unit area of land compared to other crops if there are processing plants, raw material procurement, and distribution channels. Many localities have considered medicinal plants as a key crop to replace less efficient agricultural crops.
Medicinal products serving human health care are in ever-increasing demand. Some medicinal plants that can be cultivated include turmeric, gac fruit, cinnamon, Centella asiatica, Solanum torvum, wild bitter melon, and Panax notoginseng...
Communes in the western region of Nghe An province… can all utilize their land resources and gradually form concentrated areas for growing medicinal plants.
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Along with medicinal plants, honey is a valuable product that attracts consumer interest both domestically and internationally for treating certain illnesses and improving health. Beekeeping for honey production requires low investment costs, doesn't use expensive land, and allows for the harvesting of various forest flowers, fruit tree flowers, and food crops. Simultaneously, it contributes to increased crop yields due to higher pollination and fruit setting rates compared to areas without beekeeping. Honey production will generate significant quantities for processing plants if many farmers in the Mekong Delta region embrace and invest in beekeeping as a traditional occupation.
Along with agriculture, tourism in the western part of the province has the potential to develop into an important service sector if properly planned and if businesses are attracted to invest and exploit it in the future.
The vast Mekong Delta boasts lush green mountains and clear blue waters, with pristine forests, beautiful rivers, streams, and waterfalls, and a rich cultural identity of ethnic groups such as the Thai, Mong, Khmu, and Tho. Developing tourism types such as ecotourism, cultural tourism, community tourism, and culinary tourism, combined with the planning of experiential tours, will attract many tourists if there are potential investors and a synchronized infrastructure.
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In the coming years, a tourism route should be planned to connect Pu Mat National Park (formerly Con Cuong) with Muong Long (formerly Ky Son), along with the scenic area in the former Que Phong district and the Dien Lam tourist area (formerly Dien Chau).
Pu Mat National Park is a biodiversity hotspot, featuring waterfalls, the Giang and Lam rivers, and especially pristine forests, associated with the cultural traditions of the Thai and Dan Lai ethnic groups. Muong Long commune, located at an altitude of around 1,500 meters above sea level, has a climate similar to Sa Pa and Da Lat, and is home to the Mong ethnic community. It could be developed into a summer resort, offering experiences of blooming peach, apricot, and plum blossoms in the spring, and showcasing traditional Mong handicrafts. The fertile valleys could also support the cultivation of temperate medicinal plants…
The scenic area in the old Que Phong region, centered around the beautiful Sao Va waterfall, the seven-tiered waterfall, and the Hua Na hydroelectric lake, is associated with ancient Thai villages and caves in the old Quy Chau area. This is the area where cinnamon trees of the highest quality are grown, and the locals have a traditional profession of raising the famous and delicious Quy Chau ducks… Near the end of National Highway 48 is the Dien Lam tourist area, which has been invested in by the Muong Thanh Group and is quite attractive, including a golf course, a lake, a 5-star hotel, and a diverse entertainment area,… attracting tourists.
The challenging task for government authorities is to manage and regulate land use to expand the area dedicated to the cultivation of pineapples, tea, and medicinal plants.
Firstly, because there are no large-scale pineapple, tea, or medicinal herb processing plants in the area with modern equipment and the capacity to purchase all the raw materials from the people, the farmers are hesitant to plant these crops, even though they know that each hectare yields higher profits than other crops. Furthermore, out of 26,336 hectares of production forest, mainly hybrid acacia, a significant portion is planted on alluvial land and low hills with slopes less than 15 degrees. Although a planting cycle takes 5-7 years to harvest and yields only about 10 million VND/hectare/year, the shortage of labor due to overseas employment and other work means farmers are accepting hybrid acacia cultivation. If some of the land currently planted with hybrid acacia could be converted to pineapple, tea, or medicinal herb cultivation, the efficiency of the land would be higher, contributing to job creation and improving the lives of farmers.
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Regarding industrial development in western Nghe An, in the coming years, it is necessary to continue creating an environment and conditions to develop existing factories such as the sugar factory, the milk factory, the wood processing factory of TH Group, the Song Con and Song Lam sugar factories, etc. As for the remaining white stone reserves in Quy Hop, only businesses involved in the production of fine art stone should be encouraged to save raw materials and generate higher value.
To implement specific plans and projects for the development of pineapple, tea, medicinal plants, honey, and tourism in the Mekong Delta, it is essential to effectively link the four stakeholders: the State, businesses, scientists, and farmers.
Based on the guidelines of Resolution XX of the Provincial Party Congress, the government must concretize and implement them urgently. If the key economic development areas in the Mekong Delta are identified as pineapple, tea, medicinal plants, honey, and tourism, then specific mechanisms and policies are needed to attract potential investors to build factories for deep processing of export products.
Exploiting the potential and strengths of the Mekong Delta region in tourism, primarily ecotourism, requires attracting investors with experience and strong management and financial capabilities in this field.
At the same time, the province must continue to mobilize resources to upgrade essential infrastructure such as transportation, electricity, water, and telecommunications, and implement policies to encourage farmers to plant new varieties with higher yields and better quality than the old ones...
For businesses, the most important thing is to have the capacity to invest in modern technological equipment, effectively manage environmental pollution, and purchase all raw materials at reasonable prices from farmers. At the same time, they should cooperate with local sources to introduce new varieties of crops and livestock, and effectively carry out agricultural extension work to contribute to increased productivity and output.
Regarding scientists in the province and relevant agencies at the central level, it is necessary to focus on researching and transferring scientific and technological advancements to farmers quickly and effectively. For farmers, it is crucial to recognize the possibility of escaping poverty and achieving legitimate wealth through agreements with businesses to sell raw materials to factories. Sharing the difficulties with businesses investing in agriculture is important, as it often involves high risks, slow return on investment, and the risk of losses or even bankruptcy if a factory lacks raw materials.
Economic development in the western part of the province still faces many difficulties, but with the strong political determination of the entire political system, of each official, Party member, and citizen, we are confident that in the next five years there will be many new achievements and results.
