OCOP – Raising the bar for local agricultural products

(Labor online) – Products with 3-star, 4-star OCOP certification from Lam Dong have gradually become more familiar to consumers throughout the country. It is also the basis for customers and businesses to have trust, look to local products to promote links in production and consumption of products.

The One Commune One Product Program (OCOP Program) has been identified by Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee as an important solution to develop the rural economy in the direction of developing internal resources and adding value, associated with new rural construction.

Every inch of land on Lam Vien Plateau, under the diligent hands of farmers, has made hundreds of products with characteristics from the South Central Highlands, appearing on the system of supermarkets and shops, from popular to high-class to reach consumers in turn.

At raspberry farm LangBian.F Strawberry Company Limited, the entire area is grown in a strict closed environment according to 100% organic ORGANIC standards, achieving JAS certification - the "measure" of prestige and top quality in Japan.

Currently, all 6 products of the Company have been certified with 4-star OCOP and have upgraded to 5 stars for 1 wine product.

That's why, in the process of building a product's brand, besides quality, the Company has also paid great attention to design, factory system, optimizing production process, diversifying trade channels... so that the product can reach a large number of customers across the country.

Be Thi Thu Huyen started her career with 3-star OCOP certified cocoa products from remote Cat Tien. Huyen's project won the first prize in the 2022 Lam Dong Provincial Creative Startup Idea Contest organized by the Provincial Youth Union

“Especially through e-commerce channels, products need to have the necessary certifications to build consumer trust as well as become a partner to supply large orders for businesses. Also from here, the products seem to be "winged" to not only increasingly assert their value, but also to be a motivation for farmers and business establishments to boldly invest and have a more sustainable direction in the future," said Ms. 

Thanks to the product with the necessary certifications, cocoa products not only have a stable output but are also sought after by international friends.

The functional branch of Lam Dong province determines to stick to the program's orientation, which is to develop the rural economy in the direction of promoting internal resources and increasing the value of products. 

According to Be Thi Thu Huyen, the most important thing is the quality of products as well as the business strategy of the enterprise as well as the cooperation group.

“The focus of the OCOP Program is to develop agricultural, non-agricultural products and services with advantages in each locality along the value chain. Therefore, the province has encouraged and supported the development of good quality products, typical of localities and well received by the market. This is an important solution to develop the rural economy in the direction of developing internal resources and adding value, in association with building a new countryside," said Mr.

It has been proven that OCOP products with 3 stars or more have been able to reach an increasingly large market, both at home and abroad; At the same time, gain the trust of consumers. Subjects are business units, cooperatives have sold products at better prices, bringing greater revenue and profit.

Lam Dong province has encouraged and supported the development of good quality products, typical of localities and well received by the market.

Before knowing about the OCOP program, Mr. Nguyen Van Chinh - Director of Gold Star Macca Trading and Service Co., Ltd (Tan Ha commune, Lam Ha district) mostly focused on producing and supplying macadamia raw materials to local partners and retailers. After attending training courses and orientation on the OCOP Program, Mr. Chinh was guided by the local agricultural industry to complete processes, invest in workshops, support equipment and machinery, and certify food quality and safety. 

Up to now, his business is an outstanding unit in the production and processing of macadamia when linking with more than 30 farmers and exporting 30% of macadamia production to the Korean and Japanese markets. 

As the leading locality in the province in terms of area and output, with many times of testing from specialized agencies, the quality of macadamia in Lam Ha is always confirmed as well as received well by the market. Lam Ha is also developing 5 OCOP products from macadamia nuts from 3 stars. In which, there are 2 products of Macca Gold Star Trading - Service Co., Ltd and Huy Hieu Agricultural Products Co., Ltd. are completing the procedures to be granted 5-star OCOP certification.

Thanks to the development of links, expansion of production has also created jobs for local people, including ethnic minorities.

Statistics show that, at present, most localities have been doing very well propaganda, appraisal, evaluation and recognition of OCOP products. Typically, products of all kinds of vegetables, coffee, macadamia, tea, fruit trees... 

Lac Duong district currently has been developing 28 OCOP products; In which, there are prominent products of coffee, vegetables, raspberries, etc., which are not only favored by the market but also form links and create jobs for many subjects, especially ethnic minorities. 

Lac Duong district has actively organized trade promotion programs to connect businesses to consume local products.

Mr. Le Chi Quang Minh added that the district has also completed and put into use the OCOP Product Introduction Center, established the OCOP Club, entrepreneur coffee space... to help business owners exchange information, learn experiences, promote products, share good practices, and help each other in production development. The district also actively organizes trade promotion sessions in provinces and cities to contribute to promoting and affirming the value of Lac Duong agricultural products to domestic and foreign markets.

Lam Dong currently has 177 OCOP products. In which, there are 9 5-star products (2 products have received the recognition decision, 7 products are being considered by the Central Government); 94 4-star products; 74 3 star products. 

There are 103 subjects participating in the program; in which, there are 21 cooperatives, 58 enterprises, 19 establishments, individual households and 5 cooperative groups.

Through trade promotions, OCOP products have the opportunity to reach consumers throughout the country and many products are available at supermarket chains and are popular with consumers.

Mr. Pham Hung - Director of the Rural Development Sub-Department said that the effectiveness and pervasiveness of the OCOP program is obvious. Through propaganda, trade promotion activities along with the success of the previous actors have created a strong motivation for new subjects to join the program.

People have basically understood the purpose and meaning of the OCOP Program. Many localities have seen their potential and strengths to have appropriate solutions to develop OCOP products, contributing to raising incomes, and well implementing the production organization criteria of the National Target Program to build new village cotton.

The OCOP program has contributed to transforming production in the direction of increasing scale associated with value chains, improving incomes for rural people, gradually bringing positive results, and increasingly improving product quality.

The agricultural sector of Lam Dong province has set a target that by 2023, the province will have at least 200 OCOP products (190 provincial products, 10 national products); strengthen and upgrade at least 10% of OCOP products that have been evaluated and graded; prioritize the development of OCOP products associated with product brands, develop rural tourism services; give priority to the development of cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, strive to have 20% of OCOP subjects are cooperatives, 40% of subjects are small and medium enterprises; 20% of OCOP actors have built value chains in the direction of a circular economy; 100% support for OCOP Lam Dong products with 3 stars or higher to be listed on the e-commerce platform…

Lam Dong aims to have 10 products recognized as 5-star OCOP in 2023

“We are completing the application to upgrade the OCOP product from 4 stars to 5 stars. At that time, it will once again confirm the quality and position of Lam Ha macadamia nuts. At the same time, it will also be convenient for businesses in the process of exporting to more demanding markets," said Mr. Nguyen Van Chinh, Director of Macca Gold Star Trading and Service Co., Ltd.

Mr. Ngo Thanh Son - Head of Trade Management Department, Lam Dong Department of Industry and Trade said that every year, the Department has organized many trade promotion programs inside and outside the province to introduce products as well as images and people of Lam Dong.

Taking advantage of this, the Department of Industry and Trade also regularly cooperates with provinces and cities to promote the introduction and trade promotion of OCOP products in general as well as products under the Da Lat brand - Magical crystallization from healthy soil.

Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development affirmed that, after 5 years of development, the OCOP Program has aroused potentials and advantages in rural areas to increase people's incomes; contribute to restructuring the agricultural sector in association with the development of handicrafts, trades, services and rural tourism; promoting rural economy for sustainable development, on the basis of increasing the application of digital transformation and circular economy, preserving cultural values, managing resources, conserving biodiversity, landscape and rural environment, contributing to building new rural areas in depth, efficiency and sustainability.

The smiles of farmers when their products have a worthy position

Content and images: HONG THI M

Design: HA AN

Idea: HUU LONG