OCOP products affirm their value in agricultural economy

The “One Commune One Product” (OCOP) program is affirming its important role in agricultural economic development, contributing to increasing the value of agricultural products and promoting modern production thinking. Many localities such as Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City have effectively implemented it, creating a clear impression with high-quality OCOP products, applying technology and linking with sustainable markets.

Highlights of developing high-quality OCOP products

4-star OCOP product set Com Ga, including 5 products: Traditional Com Ga, Com Ga with vegetable flavor, Com Ga with seaweed, garlic and chili, wild Com Ga, traditional Com Ga of Medifood.io Company Limited. Photo: Nhat Binh/VNA

After nearly 7 years of implementation (2019 - 2025), Dong Nai province has become one of the leading localities in the country in developing OCOP products. The program has been implemented strongly, in depth and has created a clear mark in rural economic development.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Nai province Nguyen Van Thang, up to now, the province has 490 OCOP products with 3 stars or more from 323 entities, of which 8 products meet the national 5-star standard and 6 potential 5-star products. The average growth rate of the number of OCOP products in Dong Nai is about 50%/year - an impressive figure reflecting the resilience of the province's agricultural sector.

The province's OCOP product structure is also quite diverse: food accounts for more than 87%, beverages more than 4%, medicinal herbs 2%, handicrafts 5%. In particular, many products processed from jackfruit, pineapple, banana, taro, coffee, etc. have become familiar brands to consumers. Along with that, three OCOP products in the fields of community tourism and eco-tourism also contribute to promoting the local image.

Vice Chairwoman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang said that the success of the OCOP program not only comes from the efforts of the producers, but also thanks to the synchronous support from departments, branches and sectors. In the coming time, the province will continue to accompany OCOP producers, especially potential 5-star products, to complete the dossier for national recognition. Along with that, promote the application of technology, promote deep processing and connect with raw material areas to create a complete value chain.

In addition to improving product quality, Dong Nai also focuses on expanding the consumption market through trade promotion activities, supply-demand connection conferences and building an online agricultural product trading floor. The province aims that by 2030, 100% of OCOP products will have electronic traceability, 70% of products will participate in modern trade channels and each locality will have at least one OCOP product introduction point associated with tourism.

With more than 1 million hectares of agricultural land and rich potential for crops and livestock, Dong Nai is considered the “OCOP granary” of the Southeast region. From fruit trees, industrial crops to large-scale industrial livestock, all are a solid foundation for the locality to develop OCOP products with high added value, targeting the domestic and export markets.

Spreading the modern and sustainable OCOP model

Tan Nhien rice paper products of Tan Nhien Company Limited were certified by the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province as 5-star products under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. Photo: Thanh Tan/VNA

In Tay Ninh province, the OCOP program has been effectively integrated into trade promotion activities, typically the online sales program on the TikTok Shop platform organized by the provincial Department of Industry and Trade. More than 20 enterprises and OCOP production facilities have brought typical products such as dew-dried rice paper, shrimp salt, Chinese sausage, soursop tea, bird's nest... attracting a large number of online consumers.

Deputy Director of Tay Ninh Department of Industry and Trade Tran Dang Tien said that combining digital platforms helps OCOP businesses reach young consumers, expand the market and adapt to e-commerce trends. This is considered a breakthrough in trade promotion, bringing Tay Ninh OCOP products further, both domestically and for export.

In addition, Tay Ninh province also focuses on developing high-tech agricultural products such as seedless lemons, dragon fruit, custard apples, and melons, produced according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards and exported to demanding markets such as Japan, Korea, and Europe. At the first Autumn Fair - 2025 held in Hanoi (October 25 - November 4), the province introduced more than 100 typical OCOP and industrial products, demonstrating the development orientation of "green - digital - sustainable", combining high-tech agriculture and modern processing industry.

Meanwhile, the country’s largest economic center, Ho Chi Minh City, is demonstrating the dynamism of smart urban agriculture in OCOP development. According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, as of April 2025, Ho Chi Minh City has 366 OCOP products recognized from 141 entities, nearly double the target for the entire 2021-2025 period.

However, the lack of a product achieving the national 5-star rating also reflects a challenge: the current OCOP criteria still favor traditional rural areas, while Ho Chi Minh City is developing in the direction of deep processing, technology application and digital economy.

According to the 2025 agricultural development plan, Ho Chi Minh City will focus on restructuring the industry towards a green, circular economy, with OCOP products as the core. At the same time, it will encourage the development of organic and high-tech agricultural models, associated with the construction of growing area codes and electronic traceability.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade is also tasked with building brands for the city’s key agricultural products, expanding export markets and developing modern distribution channels. Notably, cooperation with the TikTok Shop platform in training online sales skills has helped hundreds of OCOP entities improve their business capacity and effectively promote their brands.

Overall, the Southeast region is forming a colorful OCOP map - where agricultural products, handicrafts and tourism products are harmoniously combined with culture and technology. Each locality chooses its own direction, but they all share the goal of transforming agricultural thinking, increasing product value and expanding the market.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/san-pham-ocop-khang-dinh-gia-tri-trong-kinh-te-nong-nghiep-20251104070853205.htm