Finding ways to improve competitiveness for OCOP products

Cake and candy production activities at Phu Xuan Cake and Candy Production Facility in Chau Van Liem Ward, O Mon District.

In the first months of 2025, the Can Tho City Cooperative Union coordinated with relevant departments and branches of the city to support cooperatives and production establishments with OCOP products to participate in trade promotion activities, trade and promote products, seek partners and expand markets for goods and agricultural products. Typically, in March 2025, the city supported 6 typical cooperatives, cooperatives with OCOP products to participate in the "Trade promotion fair for the collective economic sector, cooperatives in 2025" in Bac Lieu province. Along with that, organizing cooperatives and production facilities with OCOP certification or safety standard certification to participate in conference programs, trade promotion fairs inside and outside the city... From there, it has created conditions for facilities, cooperatives as well as OCOP entities to approach and connect with many businesses inside and outside the city, gradually improving the quality of investment in production, to increase the added value of local OCOP products.

Along with the work of supporting trade promotion and connecting markets for OCOP products of the city's functional departments, many production establishments and cooperatives in the city have increased investment in production, to improve the quality and value of OCOP products in the market. Typically, Phu Xuan Confectionery Production Establishment (Phu Xuan Establishment) in Chau Van Liem Ward, O Mon District has continuously invested in improving product quality, gradually building its brand and creating market prestige for its key OCOP products. Mr. Nguyen Van Phich, Owner of Phu Xuan Establishment, said: To maintain the prestige and brand of Phu Xuan confectionery products, the Establishment has continuously invested in production, focusing on selecting input materials for processing; at the same time, making efforts to improve product packaging and designs to become more and more attractive to increase market competitiveness. With continuous investment, Phu Xuan Facility currently has 5 products including nutritious brown rice bars, floss brown rice bars, lotus seed brown rice bars, oatmeal brown rice bars and seaweed brown rice bars certified with 3-star OCOP. Thanks to the OCOP certification, when participating in fairs and market promotion conferences, Phu Xuan's main products are more interested and known by consumers, so the number of customers and agents is constantly expanding. Currently, each month, the Facility produces over 20 tons of peanut candy and brown rice bars to supply agents and stores introducing OCOP products in many provinces in the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City and many provinces and cities in the North.

With the support of the city's departments, branches and local authorities, members of Nhon Nghia Longan Cooperative, Phong Dien District have the opportunity to participate in many training programs, effectively applying modern farming techniques to production, helping longan trees achieve higher productivity and quality than before. Mr. Pham Van Lo, Director of Nhon Nghia Longan Cooperative, said: Currently, the Cooperative has 29 members, specializing in growing Ido longan, durian and many other fruit trees, with a total production area of ​​22.75 hectares. Of which, more than 20 hectares are planted with Ido longan according to VietGAP standards and have contracts with purchasing enterprises. By following VietGAP standards, registering growing area codes, participating in the traceability management system, achieving 4-star OCOP product certification and being recognized with the "Thanh Tri Longan" trademark..., the Cooperative is qualified to cooperate with businesses purchasing fruit for export, helping to increase the value of agricultural products and income of gardeners in the Cooperative. Along with that, Nhon Nghia Longan Cooperative is also supported by sectors and city levels to participate in fairs, conferences to introduce products and connect agricultural supply and demand... inside and outside the city.

According to Mr. Lo, thanks to growing longan according to VietGAP standards and being certified with 4-star OCOP, the products of the cooperative have increasingly affirmed their brand, increasing their competitiveness in the market. Every time it is time to harvest, the cooperative's Ido longan is purchased by traders or businesses at the garden, at a price higher than the market price, so the economic efficiency is extremely exciting for the gardeners. It is estimated that each harvest, the gardeners will achieve a yield of 20 tons of longan/ha, with a selling price of 20,000 VND/kg, bringing farmers an income of 400 million VND/ha.

To support production establishments and cooperatives with OCOP products to develop effectively and sustainably, the city's departments and branches need to strengthen trade promotion activities, expand the market for OCOP products, especially the promotion of OCOP product consumption through conferences, fairs, festivals, tourist attractions, and gifts to connect supply and demand for local OCOP products. Along with that, mobilize resources to support entities and cooperatives to access capital to invest in production infrastructure, machinery, and product processing equipment, with a scale suitable to the existing production conditions of each model and OCOP product; Support entities with OCOP products to apply digital technologies to business activities, promote brands and connect to consumer markets through e-commerce channels, such as Shopee, TikTok... Thereby, helping production facilities and cooperatives grasp new consumption trends, increase investment in production to improve the quality and value of OCOP products on the market.

Article and photos: MY HOA

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tim-loi-mo-nang-suc-canh-tranh-cho-san-pham-ocop-a186089.html