Quang Ngai: Developing cooperatives creates momentum to change the face of rural areas

Through linking growing areas, product consumption and processing investment, cooperatives in Quang Ngai province not only create stable output for agricultural products but also increase income, improve people's lives, and contribute to realizing the National Target Program on new rural construction.

Many support policies

Collective economy , with the core being cooperatives, is playing an important role in creating jobs, stabilizing members’ lives and contributing to promoting local economic growth in Quang Ngai province. Currently, many cooperatives have proactively innovated, applied technology, participated in the OCOP program and gradually built a brand for the province’s agricultural products.
Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union Nguyen Lam Canh said that cooperatives in the province are playing a key role in creating stable jobs for people, especially in rural areas. By October 2025, the province had 696 cooperatives, with more than 300,000 members and 5,800 regular workers. The quality of this human resource is increasingly improved thanks to training and development support from functional agencies.

Cooperatives in the area have always received attention and support from the Provincial Cooperative Union through many policies, especially sub-projects under the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, period 2021-2030. Every year, the Provincial Cooperative Union has organized training courses on the application of information technology, digital transformation in agricultural development and how to search and exploit information on the Internet; skills in managing e-commerce booths, trade promotion and building and developing product brands on digital platforms for cooperatives. Along with that, the Provincial Cooperative Union has provided advice and support in designing packaging, product labels, cooperative identification logos, traceability, code registration, barcode, trademark registration and VietGAP certification for products.

Investing in new technology, aiming at clean and sustainable production

In recent years, many agricultural cooperatives in Quang Ngai province have boldly invested in new technology, aiming for clean and sustainable production. A typical example is Mam Viet Clean Vegetable Agricultural Cooperative (Tu Nghia commune) established in 2019 with the first hydroponic vegetable growing model in the province.

Director Nguyen Tan Phung said that the cooperative is stably supplying 60kg of clean vegetables every day with varieties of sweet cabbage, green mustard, bok choy, spinach, amaranth... All are grown in a closed greenhouse using hydroponic technology, ensuring food safety and consistent quality.

Not only focusing on technology, Mam Viet Cooperative also imports many types of high-quality seeds from Japan, expanding the production of high-quality vegetables and tubers. Thanks to that, the Cooperative's products are available in large supermarket chains such as Co.opmart and Go!, and many clean agricultural product stores in the province. The two products of mustard greens and amaranth have achieved 3-star OCOP standards, creating more competitive advantages. In addition, the Cooperative also implements a plan to expand the scale of greenhouses to meet the increasing demand of the market, while creating more jobs for local workers.

Growing in a closed greenhouse ensures vegetable quality and avoids adverse weather effects. Photo: PV

Established in 2023, Tra Bong High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative (Thanh Bong commune) is a typical example of applying high technology in agricultural production. The cooperative specializes in producing spawn, mushroom spawn and cultivating many types of mushrooms such as black termite mushrooms, lingzhi mushrooms, gray oyster mushrooms, and lion's mane mushrooms.

Currently, the Cooperative operates 3 mushroom farms on an area of ​​3,000m², investing in greenhouse systems, biotechnology and a closed production process. Irrigation water is treated to ensure safety. Each month, the Cooperative produces about 10 tons of fresh mushrooms and supplies 60,000 bags of mushroom spawn, and signs contracts to purchase products for associated households in the province, contributing to increasing sustainable income for local people.

Developing OCOP products is a strategic direction.

Along with production innovation and value chain development, many cooperatives in Quang Ngai have focused on investing in OCOP products, considering this a strategic direction to improve the quality and increase the value of agricultural products, thereby contributing to the effective implementation of the National Target Program on new rural construction.

One example is the An Thanh General Trading Cooperative for Growing and Processing Medicinal Herbs (Dak To Kan Commune). The Cooperative currently has 9 3-star OCOP products, including bitter melon tea, Ngoc Linh ginseng jam, wild grape wine, Son Tra wine, fermented Schisandra wine, etc. The main source of raw materials is purchased in the region with an output of 5-7 tons/year.

An Thanh Cooperative always strictly complies with food safety regulations, invests in processing lines, packaging and traceability using QR codes. The Cooperative's products are distributed in Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, the northern provinces and on e-commerce platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Shopee. Annual revenue reaches about 3 billion VND, creating stable jobs for 16 official employees and 30-40 seasonal workers.

An Thanh General Trading Cooperative for Growing and Processing Medicinal Herbs with many 3-star OCOP products such as wild grape wine, Son Tra wine, fermented Schisandra wine. Photo: PV

In mountainous communes and ethnic minority areas, many typical products such as coffee, Ngoc Linh ginseng, honey, dried wild banana seeds, ginger, etc. are also produced by cooperatives. These products not only meet the market demand but also create sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minorities.

According to statistics from the Quang Ngai Province Cooperative Union, by June 2025, the whole province had 198 OCOP products, of which 5 products achieved 4 stars and 193 products achieved 3 stars. Most of the products are owned by cooperatives, focusing on processed food groups, herbs, handicrafts, etc., making an important contribution to increasing income and creating jobs in rural areas.

Chairman of the Quang Ngai Cooperative Union Nguyen Lam Canh acknowledged that in order for OCOP products of cooperatives to develop stably, cooperatives need to continue to improve product quality; improve packaging and labels; and step up trade promotion and advertising on digital platforms. The provincial Cooperative Union also supports cooperatives in registering trademark protection to increase competitiveness. These are key factors to help Quang Ngai's OCOP products reach further in the market.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/quang-ngai-phat-trien-hop-tac-xa-tao-dong-luc-thay-doi-dien-mao-vung-nong-thon-10399323.html