Shining "stars" of OCOP
In late April, good news arrived for Tuyen Quang's agricultural sector when the Hong Thai Shan Tuyet tea (1 bud, 1 leaf) produced by Son Tra Cooperative was recognized as a 5-star national OCOP product. To achieve this outstanding upgrade, Son Tra Cooperative has organized production using advanced technology, built a closed value chain, produced organically, improved quality standards, and gradually expanded its market. The "1 bud, 1 leaf" harvesting process, combined with a blend of traditional and modern processing methods, helps the product retain its natural aroma, mild astringency, and characteristic deep sweet aftertaste. From meticulously cared-for tea buds, through skillful processing, the product now possesses the most powerful "passport" to enter the high-end market and aim for official export.
 |
| The province's OCOP products are present at trade fairs throughout the country. |
Participating in the OCOP program, Su Anh Agricultural Cooperative in My Lam ward has made a strong shift in its production mindset, moving from "quantity" to "quality." Recognizing that today's consumers not only buy products but also peace of mind, the cooperative has prioritized controlling input materials and ensuring transparent traceability. With persistent efforts in brand building, in 2026, the cooperative's Ngoc Thuy young tea product proudly won the "Mai An Tiem" Award. Mr. Nguyen Cong Su, Director of Su Anh Agricultural Service Cooperative, shared: "Every process, from clean raw material sourcing to processing, is strictly standardized, helping the product maintain its distinctive local flavor while ensuring stability and food safety. The application of science and technology and investment in modern machinery has helped the cooperative solve the problem of optimizing costs and increasing added value."
At the Nặm Đăm Community Cooperative in Quản Bạ commune, Mr. Lý Tà Dèn and his members have written a different story about their acumen in the digital age. From traditional sales methods that struggled to reach customers, the cooperative proactively built a website and participated in major e-commerce platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and Tiki. Through this, their 3-star OCOP products – Artichoke Extract, Ginger Tea, and Honeysuckle Tea – have reached thousands of customers each month via livestream and social media. The application of QR codes for transparent traceability has transformed each product into an authentic story about the Quản Bạ region, resulting in an impressive annual online sales revenue exceeding 500 million VND.
These are just three of hundreds of outstanding stories about the successful transformation of OCOP products in Tuyen Quang. Over the years, the OCOP program has not only built a title but has become a new "vital force," strongly promoting the transition from traditional production thinking to sustainable agricultural economics. The biggest highlight is the breakthrough from small-scale, fragmented models to value chain linkages. Participants have proactively applied rigorous standard procedures, focusing on packaging investment and building professional brands. Thanks to OCOP, farmers and cooperatives have proactively applied science and technology, standardized VietGAP and organic farming processes, and emphasized transparent traceability; 100% of OCOP products have been listed online, bringing a minimum added value of 10-20%.
 |
| Ms. Pham Thi Minh Hai, Deputy Director of Thanh Son Company, introduces the company's premium tea products on a digital platform. |
Furthermore, the agricultural landscape has also improved through professional packaging and labeling, enabling agricultural products to compete effectively in large supermarkets and e-commerce platforms. The OCOP program not only increases added value per unit area and boosts people's income, but also awakens pride in local identity, transforming agricultural products into "ambassadors" that promote the image of the people and culture of Tuyen Quang province to domestic and international markets.
Together we venture out to sea.
Despite significant progress from small-scale production to a commodity-based approach and value chain development, the province's journey to enhance the value of its OCOP (One Commune One Product) products still faces many challenges. The biggest obstacle currently lies in the fragmented scale of production and the lack of strong linkages within the value chain, making it difficult to maintain consistent and stable product quality. This creates a major bottleneck in efforts to access high-end market segments and export large orders.
Furthermore, the transparency of traceability data has not yet met the stringent digital standards of today. In terms of branding, despite attention to packaging, competitiveness remains weak due to a lack of unique cultural narratives to create differentiation. Although agricultural products are listed on e-commerce platforms, the number of products capable of generating strong online orders is still limited. The absence of leading enterprises prevents OCOP products from penetrating major supermarket chains or participating in direct exports.
Mr. Ha Van Ngoc, Director of Ban Ke Youth Agricultural Cooperative in Yen Minh commune, shared the reality: “Although the cooperative has 4 OCOP 3-star products at the provincial level, including mint honey, chili peppers, black chicken, and chicken eggs, with revenue exceeding 1.2 billion VND per year, connection through e-commerce platforms is still limited, mainly relying on tourist destinations and traditional sales channels.” This shows that some businesses have not yet caught up with the strong flow of technology.
 |
| Two products, Green Tea and Black Tea, from Phin Ho Cooperative in Thong Nguyen commune have achieved national-level OCOP 5-star certification. |
From a policy perspective, Mr. Nguyen Cong Su, Director of Su Anh Agricultural Service Cooperative, expects that: Government agencies at all levels will implement more flexible support policies tailored to the specific characteristics of each type of cooperative to enhance production capacity; organize in-depth training programs on modern production thinking to help cooperatives become more responsive to market trends; and provide support in terms of capital and technological infrastructure to encourage cooperatives to invest in expanding their scale, upgrading packaging designs to meet the increasingly high demands of the high-end customer segment.
In its strategy to upgrade OCOP products in the coming period, the province aims not only to increase quantity but also to strongly focus on improving quality and ranking. The primary focus is on creating leverage for businesses from the outset by maintaining direct support policies for products achieving 3-star ratings, while expanding preferential credit channels to enable people and cooperatives to proactively invest in intensive farming and establish large-scale raw material areas for key sectors such as tea, oranges, and livestock farming.
Simultaneously, digital transformation and the application of science and technology are identified as the overarching theme. OCOP (One Commune One Product) entities will be supported in standardizing production processes, applying traceability using QR codes, and enhancing business capabilities on digital platforms such as social media and e-commerce platforms to shorten intermediaries and expand consumer markets. This is not only a technical solution but also a shift in production and business thinking in the context of the digital economy. In particular, the province will prioritize upgrading star ratings, instead of spreading resources thinly, prioritizing products with clear competitive advantages such as Mong beef, black pigs, mint honey, or Soi Ha pomelo, gradually improving standards to achieve 4-5 stars at the national level.
 |
In the long term, the development of OCOP (One Commune One Product) is based on a sustainable foundation with four main pillars: quality, technology, branding, and product storytelling reflecting local identity. Based on this, relevant authorities are committed to supporting businesses and cooperatives in trade promotion, bringing products into modern distribution systems, and closely linking it with agricultural tourism development, creating a closed value chain and increasing the value of local agricultural products.
Mr. Ngo Van Thuong, Deputy Head of the New Rural Development Coordination Office, shared: "Currently, the office is guiding and urging communes and wards to develop plans for implementing the OCOP Program in 2026. At the same time, we will focus on supporting businesses in upgrading products, expanding production scale, promoting trade, and connecting to markets, especially in the digital environment."
Elevating the OCOP program in Tuyen Quang is a persistent journey, requiring both the meticulousness of farmers and the strategic vision of managers. With the OCOP "passport" and the "support" of preferential policies and technological advancements, Tuyen Quang's agricultural products are ready to reach the global market.
An Giang
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202605/nang-gia-tri-nong-san-a4a0b13/
Comment (0)