What OCOP products does Phu Quoc have?

Taking advantage of its island city status and numerous famous local specialties, Phu Quoc City ( Kien Giang province) is actively promoting and encouraging businesses to participate in the OCOP program. To date, Phu Quoc has 58 OCOP products, including 6 five-star OCOP products, 25 four-star OCOP products, and 27 three-star OCOP products.

Leveraging advantages

Speaking with reporters, Mr. Huynh Thanh Minh, Head of the Economic Department and Deputy Chief of the New Rural Development Coordination Office of Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang Province, said: Implementing the "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) program, Phu Quoc City has many advantages, being a famous tourist destination nationwide, regionally, and internationally. Every year, tourists visit, shop, and enjoy local products and specialties. This has led to the identification of traditional, key local products to be developed into OCOP products to serve tourism and consumers both domestically and internationally.

Phú Quốc có những sản phẩm OCOP gì? — Foreign tourists visit and shop for Phu Quoc specialties. Photo: Hong Cam

In addition, Phu Quoc has many traditional products, with each commune and ward having its own specialties. This provides a basis for encouraging businesses and production and processing facilities to participate in the OCOP program.

In particular, thanks to the close attention and guidance of the City Party Committee and the City People's Committee, the coordination of city departments, agencies and mass organizations, the People's Committees of communes and wards, and the guidance of specialized agencies at the provincial level, the OCOP program in Phu Quoc has developed strongly.

What OCOP products does Phu Quoc have?

When mentioning Phu Quoc specialties, many people immediately think of traditional fish sauce made from anchovies from the southwestern sea. Phu Quoc fish sauce has a history of formation and development spanning over 200 years, and is not only a local brand but also a strong national brand, known to many countries around the world as a famous brand.

One researcher stated that in Phu Quoc, many families rose to prominence thanks to fish sauce production. Conversely, Phu Quoc fish sauce, with its famous century-old brands such as Khai Hoan, Thanh Quoc, My Hao, Hai Son, Hong Duc, Huynh Khoa, Kim Hoa, Sang Tuoi, Thanh Ha, Hiep Thanh, Huynh Thanh, Hung Thanh, etc., has built the reputation of the families who originated it.

As one of the first families in Phu Quoc to make traditional fish sauce, Mr. Truong Duc Phuong, owner of Hong Duc Private Enterprise, shared that his family has been making traditional anchovy fish sauce for three generations. Phu Quoc fish sauce in general, and Hong Duc fish sauce in particular, is traditionally produced using a method where fish is mixed with salt in a ratio of 3 parts fish to 1 part salt, fermented for 12 months, and then strained to produce the final product called fish sauce. The fish sauce has a light aroma, a dark reddish-brown color, a salty taste on the tongue, and a sweet, rich aftertaste of anchovies.

Currently, his business has about 100 fermentation vats, producing about 50 vats annually, with a total output of approximately 300,000 liters of fish sauce. However, in the past, his family mainly produced and sold the raw product to partners, only keeping a portion to bottle and sell under the traditional Hong Duc anchovy fish sauce brand.

To promote his brand and make it known to consumers nationwide, Mr. Phuong, encouraged by the Phu Quoc City Economic Department, registered for OCOP product recognition. In August 2023, Mr. Phuong's business had 5 products recognized as achieving 3-star OCOP standards, including: Hong Duc fish sauce with 30% protein, 35% protein, 40% protein, 43% protein, and Phu Quoc Hong Duc geographical indication fish sauce with 43% protein.

“In today’s competitive environment regarding brands and quality, having a product recognized by the authorities as meeting OCOP standards is a passport for local specialty products to confidently serve consumers and compete with other fish sauce brands. In the future, I will invest in meeting the criteria and register to upgrade my products to 4 stars, to increase the value of my products,” Mr. Truong Duc Phuong shared.

Another traditional fish sauce brand that has made Phu Quoc fish sauce famous is My Hao fish sauce. Mr. Ngo Thanh Trung, owner of My Hao Fish Sauce Private Enterprise, said that his family's fish sauce making tradition has spanned three generations, starting in 1960 when his grandmother began the business. Determined to preserve and develop this traditional craft, Mr. Trung registered and achieved OCOP 3-star certification for his 45% protein fish sauce product line.

According to Mr. Trung, his business has a production facility in Duong To commune with 45 fermentation vats, each containing 10-12 tons of anchovies. After 12 months of fermentation, his facility will produce approximately 300,000 liters of fish sauce per year.

“My Hao fish sauce and many other Phu Quoc fish sauce producers previously mainly produced raw products for sale, paying little attention to branding and market. After the Covid-19 pandemic, partners stopped buying or reduced quantities, causing hardship for the producers. Therefore, building a brand and market is very important, helping producers to be proactive and not dependent on partners. Registering for OCOP products is the most effective way to build and promote a brand in this period. Since My Hao fish sauce was officially recognized as meeting OCOP standards and the city promoted the product from the South to the North, the My Hao fish sauce brand has become more widely known and trusted by consumers.”

"In the near future, I will register my 35% and 43% protein fish sauce products for OCOP 3-star certification and upgrade my 45% protein product to 4 stars," Trung shared.

For three generations, My Hao fish sauce has always prioritized quantity over quality, preserving the traditional values in each product. The goal is to consistently deliver authentic products while ensuring consumer health.

According to the Phu Quoc City Economic Department, as of the end of November 2024, Phu Quoc City had 58 products that met OCOP standards, including 6 five-star OCOP products, 25 four-star OCOP products, and 27 three-star OCOP products, featuring characteristic products of the island city such as fish sauce, pearls, herring, anchovies, pepper, and sim fruit…

Specifically, there are 6 5-star OCOP products, including: Khai Hoan Phu Quoc fish sauce (38% protein, 40% protein, 43% protein) and Thanh Quoc fish sauce (35% protein, 40% protein, 43% protein). There are 25 4-star OCOP products, such as: Kim Hoa fish sauce (40% protein, 35% protein); Huynh Khoa fish sauce (43% protein); instant shrimp paste, fresh ripe peppers coated in sugar, white peppercorns, Sang Loi lemon pepper salt, Sim wine (10% Vol), wild sim wine… 3-star OCOP products include: Mo Cu pure Nang Com fish sauce, Phu Vi braised anchovies, Phu Vi braised herring, Phu Vi shrimp paste, Phu Vi peppers coated in sugar; pink pepper salt, Akoya pearls, Maxima pearls…

Boosting promotion efforts to bring Phu Quoc's OCOP products to a wider market.

To increase the awareness of Phu Quoc's OCOP products among domestic and international consumers, the Phu Quoc City Economic Department has actively encouraged businesses to list their OCOP-certified products on e-commerce platforms, ensuring the smooth maintenance of the production-to-supply chain, creating publications about the city's OCOP products; and supporting businesses in introducing and promoting their products on e-commerce sites inside and outside the province, such as Postmart-VNPost, the National OCOP product management and monitoring system, etc.

In addition, in 2024, the Economic Department will promote trade for OCOP-certified products, such as: organizing trade promotion for OCOP products from Phu Quoc City to participate in the Ha Tien Culture and Food Week 2024, on the occasion of the 289th anniversary of the death of the founder Mac Cuu; organizing participation in the Da Nang East-West Economic Corridor International Trade, Tourism and Investment Fair 2024; organizing participation in the Mekong Delta OCOP Product Connection Forum 2024 in Kien Giang province and reporting as required, participating in the series of events of the Industry and Trade sector of provinces and cities in the Southern region 2024 in Phu Quoc City. Furthermore, promoting, introducing and distributing 300 copies of OCOP product brochures from Phu Quoc City to consumers,…

Furthermore, Phu Quoc has also developed and coordinated diverse communication campaigns focusing on promoting and marketing OCOP products through various forms, such as: creating opportunities for OCOP product producers to participate in trade promotion fairs in different regions to trade, connect, and find partners supplying products that meet 3-star standards or higher; organizing and coordinating OCOP product fairs in Phu Quoc City, establishing free display points, promoting, introducing, and selling OCOP products in Phu Quoc City…

Source: https://danviet.vn/phu-quoc-co-nhung-san-pham-ocop-gi-20241129155859383.htm