Difficult to achieve the goal of developing OCOP products

Tourists visit and learn about OCOP products and specialty agricultural products of Nam Po district at the trade promotion fair organized by Dien Bien province.

In 2019 - the first year of implementing the OCOP Program, Dien Bien Dong district participated with 4 local specialty products and 4/4 products were recognized as meeting 3-star OCOP standards, including: Tia Dinh green squash; Na Son red peanuts, Phi Nhu taro and dried pork. CCO agricultural cooperative was the unit selected as the economic entity of all 4 products.

It was thought that this would be a favorable springboard for Dien Bien Dong district's specialty products to reach out to markets within and outside the province. At the same time, people in the highland communes had the basis to expand production scale, create a new direction of economic development, help increase income, and gradually reduce poverty quickly and sustainably. However, the link between economic entities and people directly involved in production only lasted for 2 years, then cracked and completely broke in 2022. Since 2022, Dien Bien Dong district has implemented plans and programs on OCOP product development, but economic entities have refused to participate. The district's OCOP products have returned to the period of small-scale, fragmented production, self-production and self-consumption.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Hue, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dien Bien Dong district, said: The OCOP program in the district still faces many difficulties: Production entities have not yet actively participated; the production linkage between economic entities and people is not tight and sustainable. In addition, OCOP products are produced on a small scale, seasonally with simple production processes, product packaging designs are not given attention, promotion and brand development work is still limited; products are mainly consumed through private traders, there are few contracts linking product consumption with businesses.

There are many reasons leading to the limitations in developing OCOP products in Dien Bien Dong. Besides the objective reasons, it is undeniable that the local Party Committee and government have not really taken drastic action and have not paid attention to the implementation and development of OCOP products. In fact, in the past 4 years (2020 - 2023), Dien Bien Dong has not developed any more OCOP products. Meanwhile, in the coming time, Dien Bien Dong district is at risk of having its OCOP product certification revoked for 1 product, which is dried pork. Because according to regulations, after 3 years of being recognized as meeting the standards, the district must re-recognize OCOP products. Currently, Dien Bien Dong district is completing the dossier to re-evaluate 3 products: Tia Dinh green squash, Na Son red peanuts, and Phi Nhu taro. As for dried pork products, there is no economic entity so they will not be re-evaluated.

According to the assessment of the Provincial New Rural Area Coordination Office, currently, local authorities and economic entities have not paid due attention to the sustainable development of OCOP products. Specifically, localities have not paid attention to allocating funds and technical support for economic entities to expand raw material areas; trade promotion activities are very limited. Economic entities lack enthusiasm and funds to sustainably develop products, especially developing raw material areas and building brands. For example, the case of Kien Trung Cooperative (Pa Ham commune, Muong Cha district) with the OCOP product of green-skinned pomelos.

With many difficulties and limitations, the implementation results of the OCOP Program have not met the set targets. From 2019 to now, the whole province has had 56 products, reaching 62.22% of the Project's target (target of 90 products). However, according to the annual plan, it has not been achieved. For example, in 2021, there were 9/34 new products, 0/4 products upgraded from 3 to 4 stars. In 2022, there were 12/26 new products, 2/22 products upgraded from 3 to 4 stars. Currently, Dien Bien province does not have any OCOP products that are qualified to participate in the assessment and ranking of 5-star OCOP products (according to the plan, in 2022 there will be 1 5-star OCOP product). Developing OCOP products for tourism, the goal is that by 2025 the whole province will have 3 projects on community cultural tourism villages. Currently, only the People's Committee of Nam Po district has submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for approval the outline of the pilot model for developing OCOP tourism products in Na Su village, Cha Nua commune. In addition, the districts of Dien Bien Dong, Muong Ang, Tuan Giao, Tua Chua and Dien Bien are in the process of building projects to develop community cultural tourism villages.

According to the OCOP Program Project of Dien Bien province for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, the goal by 2025 is that the whole province will have at least 90 OCOP products achieving 3 - 4 stars at the provincial level; 3 - 4 potential products achieving 5 stars at the national level; ensuring 100% of OCOP products have traceable origins.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Chief of the Provincial New Rural Area Coordination Office, said: To achieve the project's goals, in the coming time, localities need to be more proactive and decisive in implementing the construction and sustainable development of OCOP products. District-level Party committees and authorities need to include the OCOP Program in resolutions and action programs to direct and organize implementation in a synchronous and effective manner, focusing on the role of the commune level in orienting, developing OCOP plans and supporting subjects and people participating in the program. At the same time, perfecting the OCOP Program Executive Board system from district to commune for implementation.

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