Connecting supply and demand creates momentum for Thanh Hoa agricultural products to go further (Part 2): Developing a business and distribution system for agricultural and food products

In the economic development picture of Thanh Hoa province, agriculture plays a pivotal role with a diverse and quality product system, with more and more products being produced in the direction of large-scale commodities bringing high economic value. Therefore, the problem for departments, branches and localities is to develop an effective business and distribution system of agricultural products, contributing to promoting consumption, ensuring output and value for agricultural products and food.

Safe agricultural and food supply chain in Xuan Hoa commune.

Promoting agricultural products at the fair

Over the years, localities in the province have leveraged their potential to maintain and develop intensive farming areas and concentrated production zones certified for food safety, such as: 150,000 hectares of high-yield, high-quality intensive rice cultivation, 20,000 hectares of intensive corn cultivation, 12,000 hectares of intensive sugarcane cultivation, over 14,300 hectares of safe vegetables, and 14,000 hectares of concentrated fruit tree cultivation... In addition, the province also has 661 OCOP products, mainly in the food, beverage, medicinal herb and medicinal herb product groups...

In order to build agricultural production value chains, in recent times, departments and units in the province have actively implemented many solutions to support the expansion of distribution and consumption networks, creating momentum for local products to reach further. In particular, supporting participation in trade promotion programs has provided opportunities for many businesses and cooperatives to connect and expand their markets.

As one of the units actively participating in trade fairs and promotional events and signing many contracts through product promotion, Mr. Thach Van Hieu, Director of Cu Nham Fish Sauce Co., Ltd., Tien Trang commune, said: “When we develop products that meet food safety standards, OCOP certification, trademark registration, and traceability... ensuring the requirements of specialized agencies and the market, the products can easily participate in trade fairs and promotional events. Along with that, when the product's quality is proven and its origin is verified, finding partners for distribution at these events becomes easier.”

It is known that, starting from a small production facility, after developing into a business and successfully building OCOP products, and actively participating in trade promotion activities, Cu Nham Fish Sauce Company Limited now supplies an average of 20,000 liters of fish sauce and various fermented fish products to the market each month. Through promotional and networking activities, the company's products are available in 400 stores and 40 official distributors in many provinces and cities nationwide.

For the Van Hoa Agricultural Cooperative in Nga Thang commune, regularly participating in trade promotion programs both within and outside the province is one of the solutions to improve operational efficiency and the value of its products. Cooperative Director Nguyen Van Nam stated: “At these trade promotion programs, I have the opportunity to interact with producers of similar products to identify our strengths and weaknesses, and what needs to be improved to increase the competitiveness of our products. We will actively participate in trade promotion events and fairs to improve our products and increase our chances of accessing the market.”

According to statistics, from the beginning of 2025 to the present, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has coordinated the organization of 4 fairs to introduce safe agricultural and food products with a scale of 50 stalls/fair; supported and guided over 100 businesses in the province to participate in 12 trade promotion activities organized by ministries and agencies at the central level and other provinces and cities.

Currently, trade promotion programs focus on organizing networking events between businesses and consumers, and between businesses themselves, to help businesses accurately identify and assess market trends, build appropriate production and business development strategies, especially in understanding the standards and regulations for bringing products into high-end markets. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Head of the Quality, Processing and Market Development Sub-Department, stated: “To promote the dissemination, advertising, and introduction of the province's agricultural products, the sub-department annually advises on organizing a conference connecting supply and demand for safe agricultural products and food, attracting hundreds of entities with thousands of typical products. This will be a task to optimize trade opportunities, suitable to the production scale of businesses and cooperatives in the province, contributing to boosting consumption and improving production efficiency for these entities.”

Solutions for expanding the product distribution system.

To ensure producers do not lack market information, sales skills, and effective distribution channels, the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Department of Industry and Trade regularly act as a bridge between producers and the market by providing customer and product information to major consumers and organizing multi-channel sales skills training for producers. In addition, they establish models for buying, selling, and distributing goods through both direct and online channels to connect supply and demand and link production and consumption of products within the province.

Consuming safe pork products at Que Nguyen Food production facility in Hac Thanh ward.

According to Nguyen Thi Van, Director of Vinaco Agricultural Investment and Development Consulting Co., Ltd.: “Since 2020, the company has opened a sales point for OCOP products and specialty products. We have partnered with OCOP producers in the area to display and sell nearly 100 products, including many provincial OCOP products, typical rural industrial products, and local specialties such as honey, sticky rice, dried bamboo shoots, macadamia nuts, cereals, and products from medicinal herbs and plants... The sales point initially opens up opportunities for local people and tourists to access high-quality, guaranteed products.”

In the agricultural production value chain, the distribution and consumption network is not only the final stage but also a key factor determining the value, marketability, and sustainable development of products. Therefore, local departments and agencies in the province have strengthened support for and developed the business and distribution network for agricultural products and food. According to statistics, the province has 390 local markets, 19 general supermarkets, and 122 stores selling safe food products.

Along with that, departments and agencies have intensified digital transformation efforts, contributing to the promotion and consumption of agricultural products on e-commerce platforms. As a result, to date, approximately 600 businesses, cooperatives, and agricultural and food processing facilities have introduced and promoted their products through "digital consumption channels" such as voso.vn, postmart.vn, lazada, shopee, etc., offering thousands of different products. Through these digital platforms, producers have increased their sales by 15 to 20%. Some products have reached export markets through e-commerce activities, such as Le Gia shrimp paste and fish sauce exported to Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and South Africa; Truong Tung canned pineapple, sweet corn, and pickled cucumbers, and Tu Thanh Co., Ltd. canned pineapple slices and pickled cucumbers exported to the EU, Russia, South Korea, and Australia.

In reality, the development of the agricultural product trade, distribution, and consumption system has been maximizing its potential and advantages, affirming the leading role of agriculture in the province's socio -economic development. Therefore, departments, agencies, and localities have focused on building rural transportation systems linked to a synchronized and modern commercial infrastructure to attract economic entities to participate in the business and distribution of agricultural products; encouraging individuals and organizations to establish distribution and retail networks for agricultural products, gradually replacing the habit of distributing goods through intermediaries... At the same time, they are developing modern retail formats, encouraging investment in and construction of department stores and self-service stores, and promoting the consumption of agricultural products and food through e-commerce, so that each consumption channel becomes a place for interaction, connection, and increasing the economic value of safe agricultural products and food.

Article and photos: Le Hoa

Final article: A "bridge" for exchange and expansion of agricultural product markets.

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ket-noi-cung-cau-tao-da-cho-nong-san-thanh-hoa-vuon-xa-bai-2-phat-trien-he-thong-kinh-doanh-phan-phoi-nong-san-thuc-pham-271274.htm