A boost for Gia Lai's agricultural products.

(GLO) - Participating in the OCOP program for the first time, 5 products from Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Kon Gang commune, Gia Lai province) all achieved national-level 5-star OCOP certification, which can be considered an unprecedented achievement.

Gia Lai has added 5 more OCOP products with 5-star national certification. (Photo courtesy of the publisher)

From organic production to specialty brands

Driven by a love for clean agriculture and a passion for the once-famous pepper plant, young people living in the Le Chi area (now Kon Gang commune, Gia Lai province) have gradually rebuilt the organic pepper growing region with the ambition of bringing their local pepper brand to the world. The story of reviving the native variety and creating Le Chi Pepper is closely linked to the history of this land and has left a strong mark. According to local people, in the years 1957-1960, the Ngo Dinh Diem government implemented a resettlement policy, relocating people from Central Vietnam to the Central Highlands. To stabilize their lives, the government gave each household 4 pepper vines and 4 jackfruit vines to plant along the fence. Thanks to the fertile red basalt soil, fertilized only with wood ash, within a few years the pepper plants grew lush and green, clinging to the tall jackfruit trees. The red peppercorns have a special flavor with the sweetness of fruit and the pungent spiciness of pepper, and the locals considered them a precious medicine. However, over time, due to the pursuit of profit with new varieties and chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the native pepper gardens gradually died off completely.

Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Kon Gang commune) has 5 OCOP products at the national level. Photo: Vu Thao

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Deputy Director of Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative, shared: “As someone born and raised in Le Chi, we want to build and restore the distinctive products of our locality. Amidst the frenzied movement of planting and then destroying pepper plants, I chose to go against the trend. In 2017, I started to switch to organic production, restoring the indigenous Le Chi pepper variety. It was considered eccentric, but I knew that if the soil wasn't clean, the plants wouldn't be healthy, and people wouldn't be at peace either. Little by little, the indigenous pepper variety was revived. From the failure of the entire region, I learned the lesson of preserving the variety, preserving the land, and preserving faith. That is the only way if we want Gia Lai pepper to return someday. In our brand building strategy, the Cooperative has written the story of Le Chi Pepper, based on the reality told by our grandparents, why the commune was named Le Chi, why pepper plants are present, and the process of restoring the indigenous pepper variety.” any…".

Building on the success of establishing the Tieu Le Chi brand, the Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative continues to dedicate itself to creating Dak Yang coffee, through a story about the land and water associated with the name of the raw material area, and the profound ideas and future direction. Ms. Nga said: “In the Bahnar language, Dak means water, and Yang means sky god. The coffee beans are nurtured by the water of the sky god. With the purely natural organic farming methods of our ancestors, based on the soil and climate, we will produce coffee beans with a special flavor. Dak Yang coffee uses a coffee variety planted between 1995 and 1998. Using only organic fertilizers and green manure, and minimizing chemicals, is a sustainable approach that helps preserve the soil and protect the ancient plant variety.”

Coffee processing at Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative. Photo: Vu Thao

During the harvesting process, the cooperative selects ripe, juicy coffee cherries, processes them through natural fermentation, then dries them on drying racks, roasts them, and finishes the product. To ensure consistent product quality, the cooperative collaborates with farmers, building a closed production chain from raw material sourcing to processing, manufacturing, and consumption. The harvesting, processing, and roasting of specialty coffee are strictly controlled. Only ripe, red coffee cherries that float on the drying racks are selected, naturally fermented, dried on drying racks, and roasted in batches. Notably, Dak Yang Fine Robusta coffee recently achieved a score of 87.5 in the ranking of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). This is not only a source of pride for the locality but also a testament to the enormous potential and affirmation of Vietnam's position on the global specialty coffee map.

To date, after 8 years of operation, the cooperative has attracted 100 members with a production area of ​​approximately 200 hectares (120 hectares of coffee and 80 hectares of pepper), of which more than 30 hectares are certified organic by the US and Europe, and the rest are in the process of converting to organic production. The story of the Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative is proof of the value of production linkages, preserving indigenous varieties, organic farming, and building local brands. From a poor land, pepper and coffee beans have now reached the market with humane stories and sustainable values.

After being sorted by machine, green coffee beans are then carefully hand-sorted to remove any broken or underdeveloped beans. Photo: Vu Thao

Making a strong impression with 5 products receiving 5-star ratings simultaneously.

On June 24th, the National OCOP Product Evaluation and Ranking Council announced 47 national 5-star OCOP products. Among them, the Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative had 5 products recognized: Le Chi Organic Red Pepper, Le Chi Organic Black Pepper, Le Chi Organic White Pepper, Dak Yang Fine Robusta Coffee, and Dak Yang Honey Coffee. This recognition not only strengthens the cooperative's brand and gives it an advantage in negotiations with partners, but also opens up significant opportunities for its products to reach international markets.

According to the Deputy Director of Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative, with its development orientation, the cooperative is persistently pursuing organic farming, building brands, investing in deep processing, and managing quality in a closed loop. “The 5-star rating is a motivation, but more importantly, it’s about winning over consumers and maintaining credibility with the market. After being recognized as a 5-star OCOP product, the cooperative continues to aim for increased promotion and connection to consumption through traditional and e-commerce channels. At the same time, we will continue to expand the organic farming area. The cooperative currently plans to survey more households wishing to switch to organic farming; if they meet the standards, we will provide technical support, organic fertilizer, and sign guaranteed purchase agreements. In addition, the cooperative is also preparing a plan to build a systematic brand story for each product,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga.

Dak Yang Fine Robusta coffee scored 87.5 in the ranking by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). Photo: Vu Thao

Mr. Tran Van Van, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Target Program Coordination Office for New Rural Development, assessed: “To achieve national-level OCOP status, products must have distinctive local characteristics, meet international quality management certifications, ensure food safety, have detailed and specific usage instructions, complete legal documentation, and environmentally friendly production processes. Regarding raw materials, there must be a contract linking over 75% of the consumed output, and the contract must be implemented stably for 12 months or more. The products of the Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative currently meet all these criteria. In the future, the province will focus on supporting OCOP entities to improve standards, enhance production capacity, and strengthen market connections, aiming for sustainable agricultural development and increased value.”

The fact that a cooperative simultaneously has five products achieving OCOP 5-star status is proof of a well-structured strategy of large-scale, standardized production and regional raw material linkages. This is a typical model that needs to be replicated to increase the proportion of high-quality products, aiming for sustainable official export.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cu-hich-cho-nong-san-gia-lai-post330739.html