Suggestions for developing OCOP products.

The OCOP program contributes to the development of distinctive local products and the socio- economic development of the locality.

The OCOP (One Commune One Product) program has brought many practical benefits to participating entities, contributing to the development of distinctive products and the socio-economic development of the locality.

However, according to Mr. Le Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, OCOP producers are currently facing difficulties in technology, capital, and especially market access. Therefore, continued investment and support for OCOP producers are needed to help OCOP products continue to develop and reach a wider market.

As a business with two products nominated for OCOP 5-star status, Mr. Nguyen Minh Hau, representative of Sau Ri Co., Ltd. (Long Ho), said that the company's success in recent years has been not only about sales but also about access to product processing technology.

Stating that the company specializes in frozen goods and has exported products to many countries such as China, Australia, the US, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, etc., with export turnover in the first three quarters of 2023 of approximately 20 million USD, Mr. Nguyen Minh Hau said that the processed products of the company exported to these markets all have the company's brand and logo.

Previously, businesses only handled fresh produce, but often faced the problem of bumper harvests leading to price drops, and the shelf life was not long. Therefore, businesses began researching processing technologies to increase shelf life and store goods in warehouses for sale during the off-season…

According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Hau, Ri6 durian has a rich, sweet flavor, a light aroma, and a creamy texture, which are its unique characteristics compared to other durian varieties on the market. However, having a registered growing area code will help access the market better, and investment in advanced processing technology is especially necessary.

As a cooperative certified organic according to four international standards: USDA (USA), EU (Europe), JAS (Japan), and COR (Canada), and being the first cooperative in the country to achieve all four standards, Mr. Doan Van Tai - Director of Tan Dat Agricultural Production and Service Cooperative (Vung Liem) said that for products to stand firm in the market, quality must be prioritized and meet certain standards.

Recognizing this, the cooperative always takes the lead in production and obtains certifications to meet market demands. Initially, they faced many difficulties, requiring them to learn and research on their own.

However, once organic certification is achieved according to international standards, there are many advantages to increasing product value and profitability. Besides rice, the cooperative currently offers other value-added products such as: nutritional rice flour, herbal tea, yogurt, etc.

The future direction is to develop organic rice noodles from rice. Mr. Doan Van Tai added that the cooperative's product prices are currently quite good: white rice at 60,000 VND/kg, red brown rice at 70,000 VND/kg, and herbal purple rice at 80,000 VND/kg; nutritional powder and red rice powder are priced twice as high as rice, but "the market accepts and consumes them very quickly."

According to Mr. Doan Van Tai, the cooperative aims to expand its certified area from 30 hectares to approximately 200 hectares. Furthermore, it will not only focus on certified organic production but also move towards circular and ecological production – taking another step forward to achieve a higher status.

According to Mr. Doan Van Tai: It is necessary to be proactive in combining and taking advantage of support policies from the State. For example, in rice production, the cooperative's internal resources can build a complete production process, but infrastructure for transporting goods, managing water to control weeds, etc., must come from support policies.

According to Mr. Le Van Dung, the province currently has 167 OCOP products with 3 and 4 stars (110 3-star OCOP products and 57 4-star OCOP products) from 101 entities (26 cooperatives, 2 cooperative groups, 18 enterprises, and 55 production households). Of the 57 4-star products, 4 have been submitted to the central government for consideration for 5-star recognition.

These include two durian products from Sau Ri Co., Ltd.: fresh durian and freeze-dried durian, and two dried sweet potato products from Dong Phat Food Co., Ltd. (Binh Tan): dried purple sweet potato and dried yellow sweet potato. In general, OCOP entities – except for a few established businesses – are mostly startups and cooperatives, so market share remains challenging.

Over the past period, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, etc., have supported OCOP businesses in trade promotion and product display at events inside and outside the province. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Industry and Trade have websites promoting OCOP products...

Strengthen support for OCOP products in trade promotion and market expansion.

In addition, since the national target program on building new rural areas was launched, OCOP businesses have received support and advice on product design, packaging, product stories, labels, etc. To date, the province has organized 7 OCOP product display points.

According to Mr. Le Van Dung, businesses in the province need to cooperate in creating websites for buying and selling OCOP products, and at the same time, pay attention to investing in and supporting OCOP businesses to continue developing products and expanding their markets.

Text and photos: TUYET HIEN

Source: https://baovinhlong.vn/kinh-te/202401/hien-ke-phat-trien-san-pham-ocop-3179169/