Enhancing the value of Shan Tuyet tea on the peak of Chieu Lau Thi

Rising 2,402 meters above sea level, Chieu Lau Thi Mountain, one of the “roofs” of Northeast Vietnam, not only holds strong potential for eco-tourism and high-end resort development but is also home to Red Dao communities in Ho Thau Commune who have built sustainable livelihoods around ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees. Thanks to unique natural conditions and a cool climate year-round, Shan Tuyet tea grown here boasts a rich, pure flavor that gives it a distinctive competitive edge.

Ho Thau Commune currently has nearly 1,600 hectares of tea, with an annual output of about 4,600 tons, most of which comes from centuries-old tea trees growing naturally without chemical fertilizers or plant protection products. These factors have helped shape the reputation and quality of Ho Thau’s ancient Shan Tuyet tea in the market.

Members of Ho Thau Tea Cooperative harvest tea in strict compliance with technical procedures for each tea category.

Recognizing the value of this “green diamond,” the Ho Thau Party Committee has issued a thematic resolution on enhancing the value of ancient Shan Tuyet tea for the 2021–2025 period, with a vision to 2030. The goal is to promote advantages toward concentrated commodity production linked with eco-tourism and experiential tourism; attract businesses to invest in machinery and apply science and technology; build branded value chains; and improve incomes and living standards for local people.

Following the resolution, the commune has planned tea development in villages with large concentrated tea areas such as Son Thanh Thuong, Son Thanh Ha, Khoa Thuong, Hung An, Doan Ket, Tan Thanh, Chien Thang, Tan Minh, Tan Phong and Quang Vinh. Shan Tuyet tea products are now sold in many domestic markets and are gradually moving toward export.

Currently, Ho Thau has the Ho Thau Tea Cooperative with a processing capacity of more than two tons of fresh tea per day, along with nearly 10 cooperative groups and household- and group-based processing facilities. These entities have increasingly focused on trademark registration, brand building and market expansion. Each year, the Ho Thau Tea Cooperative produces about two tons of dried tea, purchases raw materials from farmers at prices two to 2.5 times higher than the market rate, and provides technical guidance on tea care and harvesting for different tea varieties.

Leaders of Ho Thau Commune inspect the quality of tea products at the Ho Thau Tea Cooperative.

In addition, the Son Thanh Agriculture–Forestry, Tourism Services and Tea Processing Cooperative has developed products certified as OCOP three-star. Each year, it purchases more than 15 tons of fresh tea from local people and produces around three tons of dried tea for distribution in domestic markets.

With clear orientation and strong engagement from local authorities, cooperatives and farmers, Ho Thau’s Shan Tuyet tea is steadily affirming its brand, opening a path toward stable and sustainable economic development while preserving the natural and cultural values of the Chieu Lau Thi highlands.

Phi Anh