Countryside products change according to the OCOP program

Visitors view OCOP products of Hieu Phat Agricultural Service Cooperative. Photo: THUY TIEN

A boost for the rural economy .

With its rich agricultural and aquatic potential and long-standing traditional crafts, Vinh Phong is witnessing a strong transformation thanks to the OCOP program. With local support, businesses and enterprises have elevated traditional products to a new level in terms of scale and quality. This is an important leverage for promoting trade, expanding markets, and creating jobs for local people.

Currently, Vinh Phong commune has 15 products that have achieved OCOP 3-star certification. “The People's Committee of the commune regularly directs relevant departments to promote the management and use of trademarks, and encourages producers to maintain hygiene, food safety, and environmental standards… At the same time, OCOP entities receive policy support to expand markets and cooperate in production, creating new momentum for local agriculture, changing production practices, and forming larger-scale product linkages,” said Nguyen Van Sy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh Phong commune.

Taking advantage of the local area's abundance of shrimp and fish, Ms. Le Thi Kim Thoa has developed a diverse range of dried and fermented shrimp products, gradually expanding her brand's reach. “To help shrimp farmers find markets for their products, I produce dried shrimp. Encouraged by the local government, in 2019 I established a cooperative to purchase raw shrimp and fish; supplying dried shrimp, dried fish, and fermented shrimp paste. By the end of 2021, the products were recognized as achieving OCOP 3-star standards,” Ms. Thoa shared.

After years of effort, Ms. Thoa's Hieu Phat Agricultural Service Cooperative has had 7 products achieve OCOP 3-star certification. From there, the value of the cooperative's products has steadily increased, creating jobs for about 20 workers, with an income of approximately 8 million VND per person per month. "I hope the cooperative's OCOP products will reach even further and be widely accepted by customers," Ms. Thoa expressed her hope.

Ms. Le Thi Kim Thoa develops dried food products that meet OCOP 3-star standards. Photo: THUY TIEN

Fostering an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit.

After nearly 20 years living and working in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Truong Kim Bi decided to leave the city and return to his hometown to start a business. Through research and guidance from the local authorities, in 2019 he launched his Bibo rice flake product. “Utilizing ST25 rice grown on land previously used for shrimp farming, I created rice flakes, combining them with more than 10 ingredients to transform a familiar rural food into a branded product with economic value,” Mr. Bi shared.

Over the past period, Bibo Rice Flakes Co., Ltd. has established its brand thanks to its innovative processing methods and eye-catching packaging design. All five of its rice flake products have achieved OCOP 3-star certification, reaching markets in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, some central provinces, and have received export orders abroad.

“Currently, we have five products: ST specialty rice flake cakes, ST specialty brown rice flake cakes, red rice flake cakes, purple glutinous rice flake cakes, and Quoc Yen purple rice flake cakes. Each product has its own unique flavor, giving customers a wide range of choices,” Mr. Bi shared.

By focusing on value chain production linkages, Vinh Phong commune creates conditions for each OCOP product and traditional craft to reach further, bringing new value and a new life to local people.

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