A showroom displays and sells products under the country’s One Commune-One Product (OCOP) programme and other products in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tra Vinh. (Photo: VNA)
Launched in 2018, the OCOP programme focuses on developingspecialty products and high-quality products in rural areas to increase incomesfor locals and boost the sustainability of economic development in rural areas.
OCOP products are commercial products and services such as foodand beverages, handicrafts and rural tourism services. They are classified ashaving one to five stars.
Under the programme, the Cuu Long delta, which is the country’slargest rice, seafood and fruit producer, has developed more OCOP products andincreased their value.
Can Tho recognised 18 new OCOP products last year, including 10three-star OCOP products and eight four-star products. It has a total of 92OCOP products so far.
Dong Thap province has 269 OCOP products rated between three andfour stars.
Dong Thap is one of the country’s 10 top provinces and cities thathave the largest number of OCOP products, according to the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development.
Nguyen Van Na, deputy director of the Dong Thap Department ofIndustry and Trade, said the department, in co-operation with agencies andother provinces and cities nationwide, has organised various activities topromote the sale of OCOP products.
Dong Thap has 161 OCOP products that are sold on the country’slarge e-commerce platforms such as Tiki, Lazada, Shopee and Voso.vn.
It has organised courses to provide skills for households andproduction establishments to sell their OCOP products on two e-commerceplatforms – postmart.vn and Voso.vn.
Doan Tan Buu, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee,said the province targets all of its three-star OCOP products will be sold onthe two e-commerce platforms.
Increase sales
The sales of products and their prices increase after they arerecognised as OCOP products, according to the delta’s local authorities.
In Ca Mau province, more than 30% of OCOP products see theirrevenue sales increase by 5-7% and their prices also increase by 5-20%,according to the province’s OCOP product classification and evaluationcommittee.
The province’s OCOP products have been sold on modern distributionchannels and e-commerce platforms, and some are exported to Canada, Australia,Singapore and China.
Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the Bac Lieu Province People’sCommittee and chairman of its OCOP product classification and evaluationcommittee, said products that are recognised under the OCOP programme havemarkets expanded, and sales are stable.
After a product is recognised as OCOP, its orders have beenincreased by 10-40%, he said.
Nguyen Thi Cam Tu, owner of Kieu Hanh dried mudskipper producingestablishment in Bac Lieu’s Vinh Loi district, said before her dried mudskipperproduct was recognised as an OCOP, she sold about five tonnes of the dried fisheach year.
“After dried mudskipper was recognised as an OCOP product, itssales have increased three times,” she said.
To further develop OCOP products, the delta’s local authoritieshave implemented various measures, including supporting producers to invest inproduction facilities and improve product quality.
They are also strengthening trade promotion activities,advertising OCOP products on mass media and websites, and setting up showroomsfor OCOP products.
Phan Thi Thu Oanh, deputy director of Bac Lieu province'sDepartment of Industry and Trade, said the department will tighten co-operationwith its counterparts in HCM City, Hanoi and other provinces and cities,supermarkets and other goods distributors to find stable outlets for OCOPproducts.
The department will encourage companies to directly participate infairs at home and abroad to introduce their OCOP products, she said.
Bac Lieu will set up showrooms for OCOP products at its populartourism destinations.
It has encouraged the establishment of cooperatives to produceOCOP products with large quantities and high quality.
It will apply digitalisation to facilitate procedures of applyingfor OCOP product certification, and classifying and evaluating OCOP products.
In Soc Trang province, local authorities are improving humanresources to implement the programme, are supporting OCOP product producers andare investing in infrastructure to serve the programme.
Vuong Quoc Nam, Vice Chairman of the Soc Trang Province People’sCommittee, said the province will strengthen advocacy activities on mass mediato promote the programme.
It will combine the programme's implementation with restructuringagricultural production, developing rural economy and building new-style ruralareas, he said.
It will also develop its OCOP website, he said.
Soc Trang plans to have at least 200 OCOP products rated threestars and above in 2023-25.
During the period, it aims for at least 50% of its OCOP productsto maintain their stars or upgrade their star levels.
It also aims for at least 50% of OCOP producers will sell theirproducts through modern channels.
Soc Trang has 189 OCOP products rated at least three stars, withone rated five stars./.
VNA
