Illustrative photo (Source: baothanhhoa.vn) Thanh Hoa (VNA) – The Coordinating Office of the New RuralDevelopment Programme in the central province of Thanh Hoa said on August 4that the locality recently evaluated and classified One Commune, One Product (OCOP)products for the third stage this year.
Twenty six productsfrom 14 districts, townships and cities were under classification. However, only20 of them were recognised as OCOP products, three of them met four-starcriteria, including Ha Lai leaf cake, Ha Trung district’s kitchen utensils,Quang Xuong district’s Quang Phuc fish sauce, and the remaining achievingthree-starred standards.
Their production scaleare above average and quality enough to be competitive in the market.
After over three yearsof implementing the OCOP programme, the province had 120 OCOP products as of August,ranking 10th nationwide in terms of the total products. It is now home to onefive-star OCOP product, 30 four-star and 89 three-star ones.
To carry out theprogramme sustainably and effectively, the province took strict steps toevaluate and rank products in the right process. As scheduled this year, itwill develop additional 80 provincial-level OCOP products.
Based on registrationsby districts, townships and city, the Office will inspect production areas,help owners increase scale and quality, navigate markets and handle necessaryprocedures to join the programme.
Recognised productsmust meet all criteria in line with regulations. It is also a key task in theNational Target Programme on New Rural Development in the province.
Bui Cong Anh, deputyhead of the Office said after having their products recognised for the status,almost businesses and production facilities must expand production scalebecause their products become more popular.
Recently, severalowners of local OCOP products established “Thanh Hoa OCOP cooperative” in linewith the Co-operative Law 2012, playing a role as a business to promote tradeand develop markets.
In the near future,the Office will work with localities to instruct owners how to invest in moderntechnology, improve product qualuty, gradually perfect production process inline with the OCOP programme regulations. The province will continue promotingtrade at home and abroad, helping firms, cooperatives and owners sell products.
Many OCOP products of Thanh Hoa are exported to foreign countries such asRussia, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden, the UnitedStates, Japan and China.
Le Gia shrimp paste from Hoang Hoa district’sHoang Phu commune has been exported to Russia, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan(China) and South Africa. Bamboo straws have been shipped to Switzerland,Sweden, and the United State. Handicrafts and other products made from sedgeare sold in 64 supermarkets in the United States.
Over the past three years, Thanh Hoa hasspent over 114 billion VND (4.9 million USD) supporting the implementation ofthe OCOP programme. Of these, more than 18.2 billion VND (791,622 USD) camefrom the central budget, 36 billion VND (1.5 million USD) from the local budgetand the rest from producers.
In the 2021-2025 period, the province is strivingto have at least three OCOP products rated as five stars, more than 100 asthree and four stars, he said.
It will complete the application of informationand technology in the production and trading of OCOP products. Each districtwill have at least one showroom which displays and sell these products.Creative design centres will also be formed in association with OCOP products promotionduring the period.
The OCOP was initiated by the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development in 2008, following the model of Japan’s “OneVillage, One Product” and Thailand’s “One Tambon, One Product”. It is aneconomic development programme for rural areas focusing on increasing internalpower and values, which is also meant to help with the national targetprogramme on new-style rural area building./.
