Bringing An Giang's specialties to a wider audience.

From bamboo shoots from Cam Mountain to bird's nests, many OCOP (One Commune One Product) businesses in An Giang are striving to improve product quality, expand markets, and bring local specialties closer to consumers.

Báo An Giang•19/05/2026

Aspirations stemming from bamboo shoots

Deeply connected to Thien Cam Son peak in Nui Cam commune, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen - Director of Tu Tam Mai Tung Herbal Company Limited - aspires to bring local specialties to diners. With its vast Manh Tong bamboo forest, Nui Cam provides a bustling bamboo shoot season for the local people. However, growers still face market gluts during peak season.

Ms. Hong Phuc introduces Hung Diem bird's nest products at the OCOP product connection forum in the Mekong Delta region organized by the province. Photo: THANH TIEN

Understanding the difficulties faced by farmers, Ms. Tuyen found a way to process bamboo shoots from Cam Mountain into an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product. “I learned from the experience of those who came before me, using fresh bamboo shoots soaked in salt water for natural fermentation. The entire processing stage must be done using natural methods, without the use of artificial colors or preservatives. After many trials and learning from experience, I succeeded in creating a product that retains its natural flavor and is safe for consumers,” Ms. Tuyen said excitedly.

After much effort, the Mạnh Tông sour bamboo shoot product of Từ Tâm Mai Tùng Herbal Company Limited has been recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. The product not only embodies local culture but also meets high standards of hygiene, food safety, and nutritional value.

Currently, Ms. Tuyen actively participates in promoting and introducing products at many events and trade fairs inside and outside the province. In addition, she promotes and sells products on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, etc.

Besides harvesting bamboo shoots, the Manh Tong bamboo has helped Ms. Tuyen develop additional products such as chopsticks from Cam Mountain. However, she believes that the full value of this plant has not yet been exploited. “My long-term goal is to develop handicraft products from bamboo, helping people on Cam Mountain earn income from readily available raw materials. I believe that support and guidance from relevant departments are needed to help people on Cam Mountain diversify the value of Manh Tong bamboo,” Ms. Tuyen suggested.

Taking bird's nest products to a wider market.

As the successor to the family's goal of expanding the bird's nest product market, Ms. Vo Nguyen Hong Phuc, representative of Hung Diem Trading and Service One-Member Limited Company, said that her family has been developing bird's nest farming since 2011. At that time, swiftlets were considered treasures, closely monitored every day. In 2013, the first batch of bird's nests was harvested, bringing overwhelming joy.

Ms. Hong Phuc shared: “Initially, my family only processed bird's nests manually. Everything was hard work; we had to learn and gain experience from failures as we went along. Gradually, the processing techniques improved, and my family invested in machinery to produce higher-quality products to serve the diverse needs of the market. From simply cleaning and packaging them into round cakes (baby bird's nests) to the refined bird's nest products under the Hung Diem brand as they are today, it has been the result of many years of effort by my family.”

After producing a quality product, Hong Phuc's family faced challenges in the process of achieving OCOP certification. From a lack of understanding of legal documentation to requirements for packaging and labeling, the family was initially unprepared. However, with the determination to make this "precious delicacy" a specialty of the Southwestern coastal region, Hung Diem bird's nest products achieved a 3-star OCOP rating in the province.

“We primarily distribute our products through retail channels or e-commerce platforms. In addition, we have several distributors in Ho Chi Minh City and northern provinces to ensure our products reach a wider customer base. Customer trust motivates us to continuously improve the quality of our products,” said Ms. Hong Phuc.

However, Ms. Hong Phuc expressed concern that despite possessing favorable natural conditions for developing swiftlet farming, the province has yet to build a brand like Khanh Hoa's swiftlet nests did in the past. Therefore, she hopes for support from relevant authorities in promotion, brand building, digital transformation, marketing, and legal procedures to ensure that the business produces standardized products from raw materials to market. "We will continue to improve product designs and quality while developing new products to better serve customers and contribute to affirming An Giang's swiftlet nest position in the market," Ms. Vo Nguyen Hong Phuc stated.

Despite facing many challenges ahead, the OCOP producers in An Giang remain steadfast in their goal of bringing their products, born from dedication and passion, to the international market. They need the support and cooperation of relevant departments and local authorities to realize their objective of taking An Giang's "village-born" products to the global stage.

By the end of 2025, the entire province will have recognized 582 products meeting OCOP standards at 3 stars or higher. Of these, 14 products will achieve 5 stars at the national level, 52 products at 4 stars, 515 products at 3 stars, and 1 product with the potential to achieve 5 stars at the national level.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mang-dac-san-an-giang-vuon-xa-a485822.html