Enhancing local agricultural products

Yen Chau commune is growing strongly thanks to the development of commodity agriculture associated with the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. From typical agricultural products such as bananas, mangoes, single garlic, etc., many farmers have been proactive and creative, upgrading their products to high-value commodities, welcomed by markets inside and outside the province.

Workers of Bao Gia 26 Company Limited, Yen Chau commune, pack "Hoshi Black Garlic" products.

In sub-area 4, Yen Chau commune, in the production workshop of more than 100 square meters ^of Bao Gia 26 Company Limited, nearly a dozen workers are busy packaging the product "Hoshi Black Garlic" to deliver to orders from all over the country.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Director of Bao Gia 26 Company Limited, shared: Yen Chau land is famous for garlic, especially single garlic - a precious medicinal herb that is good for health, favored by customers in many places. However, in the past, the price was unstable and the output was not stable. Therefore, I learned and researched the process of naturally fermenting fresh garlic into black garlic. Thanks to the right direction, Hoshi Black Garlic product was recognized as 4-star OCOP and is present in many major provinces and cities such as: Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa...

Natural fermentation garlic system of Bao Gia 26 Company Limited.

To meet customer demand, Bao Gia 26 Company Limited invested in a system of 10 garlic fermentation machines, supplying the market with about 20 tons of products each year, with a revenue of 6-7 billion VND/year. In addition, the company develops garlic growing areas, and cooperates with hundreds of local farmers to purchase at stable prices.

Ms. Lo Thi Phuong, Luong Me village, Yen Chau commune, said: In the past, my family only grew garlic to sell to traders, the price was unstable, there were years when the harvest was good but the price dropped. In recent years, my family's garlic has been purchased stably by businesses, people can feel secure in production, not worry about output. Life has improved.

Hoshi Black Garlic product display booth.

Along with black garlic, Yen Chau commune is famous for its bananas because of their sweetness and delicious flavor, which have been granted geographical indications and product certification marks. With an abundant source of raw materials over 700 hectares, farmers in Yen Chau have processed fresh bananas into dried bananas, crispy dried bananas... creating a unique agricultural brand.

Thanh Cong Production Facility, Sub-area 6, Yen Chau Commune is one of the households with many years of experience in processing dried banana products. In 2019, the dried banana and crispy dried banana products of the facility were recognized as 3-star OCOP, and were supported in packaging design and brand promotion. Thanks to that, the product is consumed smoothly, currently, the facility sells about 50kg of dried banana/day, earning tens of millions of VND/month after deducting expenses.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Chien, owner of Thanh Cong production facility, shared: Fresh bananas are purchased by the family in bunches, then left to ripen naturally in the warehouse. To get the delicious taste of dried bananas, you must choose bananas that are ripe enough, large, round-edged, and have all their beards removed. Ripe bananas will be pre-processed by peeling, cutting off the tips, then arranged on trays and dried by electricity. When the dried bananas are sticky, fragrant and sweet, they will be taken out to cool, then packaged and vacuum-sealed to increase the storage time to 6 months. The best-selling dried banana product of the year is during the summer and Lunar New Year.

Thanh Cong production facility, sub-zone 6, Yen Chau commune produces dried bananas.

To meet market demand, many production facilities in Yen Chau commune have diversified their products, such as: crispy dried bananas coated with sugar, dried bananas with honey, dried bananas with honey and ginger... with prices of 25,000-60,000 VND/bag, which are popular with consumers.

Dried banana products meet 3-star OCOP standards.

With diligence, creativity and ingenuity, many typical agricultural products associated with Yen Chau land have been upgraded by farmers into products with typical OCOP brands. Up to now, the whole commune has 16 OCOP products, of which 3 products have achieved 4-star OCOP. Behind each product is a fundamental change in production thinking, from fragmented, spontaneous production to the direction of association, application of science and technology, focusing on deep processing and improving designs.

Mr. Doan Xuan Ngoc, Chairman of Yen Chau Commune People's Committee, affirmed: The commune government guides cooperatives, businesses, and households to constantly improve quality and differentiate their products. At the same time, it supports the application of processing technology, professional packaging design, promotion on e-commerce platforms, participation in fairs and exhibitions, etc. The ultimate goal is to increase income and bring Yen Chau agricultural products further.

Livestream selling agricultural products on social networking platforms.

Coming to Yen Chau today, the scent of ripe bananas spreads, high-quality agricultural products are still regularly transported by truck to all regions. With the joint efforts of the government and farmers, Yen Chau is gradually building its position as the "agricultural capital" of Son La province, making an important contribution to the goal of sustainable rural economic development.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/nang-tam-san-pham-nong-san-dia-phuong-c3FIbURvg.html