Developing OCOP vegetables in Home Garden

Continuing to enhance brand reputation and product quality, creating peace of mind for consumers, the Vuon Nha Agricultural Service Cooperative in Xuan Thanh village, Xuan Tho commune, Da Lat city has been developing vegetable, root and fruit products that meet OCOP standards from production, post-harvest preservation to processing, distribution to the consumption network in regions across the country as well as export.

The squash noodle product of Vuon Nha Da Lat General Agricultural Service Cooperative is expected to upgrade its OCOP rating from 3 stars to 4 stars by the end of 2024.

• OCOP PRODUCT OF PUMPKIN NOODLES HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL

Since 2019, the squash noodle product of the Vuon Nha Da Lat brand (Van Nha Da Lat General Agricultural Service Cooperative) has had a strong attraction to the domestic and foreign markets. This is a new source of seeds purchased by the Cooperative from Japan and planted on an area of ​​1,000 ^{m2 of} the first greenhouse in Xuan Tho commune, converting from leafy vegetables rotated through each short-term season. Through studying the cultivation process from different sources, the Cooperative chose a planting density of 3,000 plants/1,000 ^m2 , installing trellises for the plants to drop shoots into climbing vines. As a result, after 3 months of care, the squash noodle plants were harvested simultaneously from the base to the top with a full shape, smooth skin color, achieving a yield of over 3 tons/1,000 ^m2 , an average weight of 1.5 kg/fruit. Steam until cooked, then cut in half, scoop out long strands of noodles with a spoon to eat directly or mix into an Italian pasta dish with the characteristic sweet and nutty flavor of the Da Lat plateau. Then the cooperative packages and transports to a chain of 200 stores distributed throughout the country.

“According to the forecast of market demand, the cooperative increased the wholesale price to 150,000 VND/kg, multiplied by 3,000 kg/1,000 ^m2, resulting in a total revenue of 450 million VND/1,000 ^m2 in 2019. After deducting the cost of seeds, materials, and labor, the remaining profit is about 350 million VND/1,000 ^m2 /3 months. To ensure the quality of the squash with the comparative advantage of the cold climate of Da Lat, the cooperative rotates 1 crop of squash and 1 crop of various vegetables, for a total of 6 months. Since then, each year the cooperative has grown and harvested 2 crops of squash, each crop is sold out within a week…”, Ms. Luong Thi Yen Van calculated.

Up to now, the Dalat Garden Agricultural Service Cooperative has cooperated with farmers in Xuan Tho commune to develop 1 hectare of cassava squash, increasing the scale 10 times after 5 years of conversion. Currently, farmers in Da Lat city and surrounding areas have expanded the cassava squash growing area with seeds from many different countries, increasing supply and reducing costs by 30% compared to 5 years ago. However, the Cooperative has completed the production process, harvesting cassava squash with different quality, ensuring food safety standards, bringing in profits at a higher level than other short-term vegetables, especially the product is ranked 3-star OCOP of Da Lat city, initially exported to neighboring countries such as Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand...

• UPGRADE AND NEW STAR RATING FOR OCOP PRODUCTS

With the traditional purple-stemmed carrot product of the red soil of Loc Quy village, Xuan Tho commune, Vuon Nha Da Lat General Agricultural Service Cooperative has cooperated with farmers specializing in outdoor cultivation of about 5 hectares. Rated OCOP 3 stars from 2023 to present, the Cooperative produces 100-day crops on an area of ​​1,000 ^m2 with an average yield of 4 tons in the dry season and 2 tons in the rainy season. In July 2024, the Cooperative supplies the domestic market with about 800 kg per day. Particularly for Palermo chili peppers, ranked OCOP 3 stars, the Cooperative harvests and distributes domestically 400 kg per day in Da Sar commune, Lac Duong district and 500 kg in Tram Hanh commune, Da Lat city. A total of 7 households cooperate to produce 4 hectares in these 2 areas. The cooperative provides seeds, materials, techniques and guarantees the consumption of products at a price 3,000 - 5,000 VND/kg higher than the market price. The households inside and outside the cooperative have land for production and labor for care. "The source of Palermo chili seeds is purchased by the cooperative stably according to each production season from the Netherlands, cared for according to the correct technical process to achieve a weight of 1kg including 7-8 fruits. There are 4 colors of Palermo chili peppers of the cooperative linked with the households including red, yellow, orange and chocolate. The chili has thick flesh, crispy sweet taste, not pungent, so it is very popular in the market, consumed quite quickly after harvest", Director Luong Thi Yen Van added.

The remaining 4 3-star OCOP products of the Vuon Nha Da Lat General Agricultural Service Cooperative have been expanding their domestic and foreign markets thanks to processing at the Cooperative's factory that meets global food safety standards, including: Freeze-dried celery powder, freeze-dried perilla powder, soft-dried Cau Dat Laba banana and wind-dried persimmon. The goal by the end of 2024, through solutions to approach potential domestic and export market areas, the Vuon Nha Da Lat General Agricultural Service Cooperative will upgrade the 7 above-mentioned 3-star OCOP agricultural products to 4-star OCOP, and at the same time develop 5 new 3-star OCOP products from Da Lat vegetable fields and surrounding areas.

Source: http://baolamdong.vn/kinh-te/202407/phat-trien-rau-ocop-o-vuon-nha-ead2c95/