Spreading the Flavor of the Ancestral Land’s Green Tea

As one of the provinces with the largest tea-growing areas in Viet Nam, Phu Tho’s green tea brand has gained widespread recognition not only in the domestic market but also in many countries and territories around the world. The One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program has brought new vitality to the sector, helping elevate the value and reputation of the Ancestral Land’s green tea products.

Long Coc Safe Tea Cooperative in Long Coc Commune has invested in a modern tea processing and drying system to meet the standards of a 4-star OCOP product.

According to statistics, Phu Tho currently has approximately 14,500 hectares of tea plantations, producing more than 193,000 tons of fresh tea leaves annually, ranking third nationwide. Tea cultivation is distributed across 58 communes and wards, including 28 localities with tea-growing areas exceeding 100 hectares and a combined area of more than 13,000 hectares. Four communes—Minh Dai, Long Coc, Yen Ky, and Tay Coc—each have over 1,000 hectares of tea, forming concentrated production zones that facilitate mechanization and large-scale cultivation.

Ms. Pham Thi Hanh, Director of the Long Coc Safe Tea Cooperative, shared: “Achieving OCOP certification is a passport that helps Phu Tho green tea overcome technical barriers and confidently enter major markets. To maintain the reputation and brand value of Phu Tho tea, producers must continue investing in raw material areas, machinery, and production lines to ensure consistent quality and strengthen consumer trust.”

The province is home to approximately 76 tea production and processing enterprises, with an average annual output exceeding 60,000 tons, meeting growing domestic and export demand. More than 20 percent of these enterprises have invested in green tea processing technologies and value-added products such as tea bags, matcha powder, and bottled tea beverages. Notable companies include Phu Da Tea Company (Phu Long Tea Enterprise), SSOE Tea Co., Ltd., and Cozy Tea Company.

Several enterprises are also developing specialty tea products, including Thanh Ba Purple Bud Tea produced by UT Tea Investment and Development Co., Ltd., and Pa Co Shan Tea produced by Phuong Huyen One-Member Co., Ltd.

Phu Tho is also among the leading provinces in the application of safe tea production standards. Approximately 90.8 percent of the tea-growing area applies Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Crop Management (ICM) practices. More than 4,300 hectares are cultivated under internationally recognized standards such as GlobalGAP, Rainforest Alliance (RA), VietGAP, and organic certification.

The province has granted domestic planting area codes to 4,045 hectares of tea plantations through 162 certified growing-area codes. In addition, concentrated tea production zones covering more than 6,600 hectares have been established in key tea-growing localities.

Many major tea-producing areas have also developed safe tea production models linked to tourism promotion. These include some of Viet Nam’s most distinctive tea landscapes, such as Long Coc Tea Hills, Thanh Thuy, the ancient Shan tea hills in Duc Nhan, Pa Co and Van Son, and the tea gardens within Xuan Son National Park.

To date, the province has developed 39 tea products recognized as OCOP products with ratings of three stars or higher, including 19 three-star products, 17 four-star products, and two five-star products produced by 21 different entities.

Tea enterprises, cooperatives, and production groups have strengthened cooperation with tea growers, establishing 25 production and marketing linkage chains with a combined output of more than 22,600 tons per year.

The tea-growing area of Long Coc Safe Tea Cooperative is cultivated under VietGAP standards, helping enhance product quality and meet market requirements.

According to Mr. Nguyen Truong Giang, Deputy Director of the Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub-Department, Phu Tho possesses significant advantages, including large-scale and concentrated tea-growing areas that facilitate the standardization of tea varieties, production processes, and management of planting area codes.

The province also benefits from a long-standing tea tradition and rich local stories that support the development of provincial and specialty tea brands. Its beautiful landscapes and cultural heritage—such as the Hung Kings Temple, Long Coc Tea Hills, Tay Coc Tea Region, the ancient tea gardens of Xuan Son, and Pa Co—further enhance its appeal.

In addition, Phu Tho has a strong ecosystem of enterprises and cooperatives capable of organizing stable supply chains for both large-scale orders and niche markets.

Mr. Giang emphasized that, alongside developing OCOP products, tea producers should strengthen cooperation with one another and with enterprises to build integrated value chains. Such collaboration will maximize the potential and economic efficiency of tea products while increasing incomes for people living in the province’s midland and mountainous areas.

Quan Lam