Elevating the quality of OCOP products from coastal villages.

QTO - With its long coastline and numerous centuries-old traditional craft villages, Quang Tri's seafood products are abundant and renowned for their quality. If exploited in the right direction, forming distinctive products linked to tourism, OCOP products from coastal villages will not only retain their natural advantages but also gradually become brands, bringing high value and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the people.

Let the taste of the sea travel far.

Cảnh Dương village, Hòa Trạch commune, is one of the oldest coastal villages in northern Quảng Trị province, with a history spanning nearly 400 years. Fishing has been the foundation of Cảnh Dương's people for generations; therefore, no matter where one goes, the distinctive coastal spirit of the Cảnh Dương people remains easily recognizable.

Amidst the sweltering heat of early summer, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Huong, owner of the Tue Huong fish sauce production facility (Canh Duong village, Hoa Trach commune), busily inspects each jar of fish sauce. Every process, from selecting the fish to salting, is done manually and based on experience passed down through generations.

Ms. Huong said that Canh Duong fish sauce has been famous for a long time, and the processing technique has been passed down through generations. Previously, her family's fish sauce was mainly sold to people in the village or traders in nearby markets to make ends meet. But for nearly 20 years now, she has expanded the scale of production, and thanks to that, her family's finances have become more stable.

OCOP products of Long Tam Seafood Processing and Trading Service Cooperative displayed in Hanoi - Photo: XP

Currently, Ms. Huong's fish sauce production facility provides employment for about 10 seasonal workers. The fish sauce is made from various types of sea fish caught by local fishermen. Ms. Huong personally selects the fish and ferments them in earthenware or composite jars. After bottling, the fish sauce is sold to traders in major cities and exported abroad. Many people familiar with the taste of traditional fish sauce will not be comfortable with the industrial sauces on the market. This is especially true for the children of Canh Duong village, who, even after leaving home to pursue careers elsewhere, will never forget the rich flavor of their hometown fish sauce.

Ms. Huong shared: "Several of my grandchildren live abroad, so every year I have to send them fish sauce to use and give as gifts to their friends..."

In the coastal village of Cảnh Dương, there are many fish sauce production facilities like Mrs. Hương's, as well as other seafood products. However, most serve only the local community, primarily villagers and acquaintances from neighboring areas. There are still very few distinctive products that have truly built a brand presence in the market.

Mr. Pham Duc Hung, Vice Chairman of the Hoa Trach Commune People's Committee, said that traditional coastal villages in the area have many distinctive products, but they are quite fragmented and have not yet been linked to build a value chain. Currently, the locality is making efforts to develop OCOP products to promote them, build trust, and expand the market. This will maximize the exploitation of natural potential and advantages, contributing to economic development and increasing people's income.

Linking OCOP (One Commune One Product) with tourism development.

In 2019, the Long Tam Seafood Processing and Trading Cooperative (in Dong Hoi ward) was established. All members of the cooperative are natives of Bao Ninh fishing village. They have joined forces, pooling capital and labor to elevate the quality of their hometown's seafood products. Currently, the cooperative produces and processes 250-300 tons of various seafood products annually. The cooperative's products are diverse, including fish sauce, shrimp paste, shrimp, fish, squid, etc.; four of its products have achieved OCOP 4-star certification and are not only sold in domestic markets such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi but also exported to Laos and Thailand.

Ms. Dao Thi Tam, Director of Long Tam Seafood Processing and Service Cooperative, shared that in addition to high-quality raw materials from their hometown's sea, the cooperative boldly invests in machinery and equipment to minimize production costs and, importantly, does not refuse any promotional opportunity. From tourist product display points within the province to trade fairs nationwide, the cooperative takes advantage of every opportunity to promote and expand its market.

Ms. Tam added that the province has enormous tourism potential, welcoming millions of visitors every year. If the advantage of this tourist influx is leveraged, not only OCOP products from the sea but also other types of products will have many opportunities to establish their position in the market.

The province currently has 349 recognized OCOP products, of which 54 are from the coastal product group. In reality, this number is still not commensurate with the potential. At a workshop on marine economic development in the Con Co Special Economic Zone in early April 2026, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Deputy Head of the Cooperative Economic and Quality Management Sub-Department, Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that reviewing and selecting key products along the value chain is an urgent requirement to avoid scattered and unfocused development. Simultaneously, it is necessary to build exhibition and sales spaces for OCOP products at tourist destinations, docks, and coastal service areas, and develop community tourism and experiential tourism models linked to production; strengthen linkages between parties to improve production capacity, complete product documentation, promote trade, and expand markets...

X. Phu

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202604/nang-tam-san-pham-ocop-lang-bien-62c7ae4/