Son La has advantages to develop OCOP products.

Son La currently has more than 200 advantageous agricultural products with high economic and commercial value, which can be developed into OCOP products. These are all products with regional characteristics of the province, quite rich in variety, including 5 main groups: Food; beverages; herbs; souvenirs; services, rural tourism. The common point of cooperatives and enterprises when building OCOP products is to proactively change production thinking, innovate science and technology to improve product quality, promote product promotion and consumption through digital platforms.

Mr. Duong Gia Dinh, Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Target Program for New Rural Development in Son La province, informed: To improve the quality of OCOP products, Son La province has promoted propaganda work, raising awareness regularly and continuously through mass media from the province to the commune, village and hamlet levels; linking and integrating with propaganda activities in building new rural areas.

Implementing the One Commune One Product Program, Son La province has developed and issued a project and developed a set of criteria for evaluating and ranking OCOP products. Photo: Van Ngoc

Focus on raising awareness for economic organizations in rural areas, state management agencies, distribution units, and consumers through conferences to deploy the OCOP program; diversify forms of communication, through electronic information portals (websites), social networks, newsletters, topics, specific images and slogans. Organize training courses for organizations and individuals participating in the OCOP program. Promote the application of science and technology in management, building models of small and medium enterprises, and cooperatives producing OCOP products. Implement registration of traceability of OCOP products on the province's traceability system.

Encourage organizations and individuals to participate in the program of applying high-tech science and technology, new and advanced modern technology in production, preservation and processing of OCOP products, and applying the OCOP product quality management system. Carry out trade promotion activities such as organizing and sending subjects to participate in Trade Fairs and Conferences organized by Son La province and other provinces and cities. Strengthen the management of product quality after ranking.

Son La province currently has more than 200 advantageous agricultural products with high economic and commercial value, which can be developed into OCOP products. Photo: Van Ngoc

In Muong La district, there is a large fruit growing area with 6,547 hectares of various fruit trees and 2,500 hectares of hawthorn trees, with a fruit yield of 25,000 tons; the total annual planting area of ​​the whole district is 27,324 hectares... The district has directed functional agencies and localities to review, appraise, inspect and evaluate the reality, and guide farmers and agricultural cooperatives to proactively participate in building OCOP products, contributing to increasing the value of agricultural products and increasing people's income.

Mr. Lu Van Quy, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Muong La district, said: Based on the advantages of each locality, the district has supported cooperatives and people to build OCOP product registration dossiers; build and register trademarks; digital transformation; build a website to introduce products; register barcodes, trace the origin of products; print packaging and product labels when consumed in domestic and foreign markets.

Up to now, Muong La district has 10 OCOP products, including 3 products rated 4-star OCOP, and 7 products rated 3-star OCOP, contributing to increasing product value and promoting sustainable rural economic development. In 2024, the district is continuing to support the development of 4 products, including: one-sun dried pork, cheese-shaken banana, wild apple tea, and leaf-fermented wine.

Muong La has 10 OCOP products, of which 3 products have achieved 4-star OCOP status and 7 products have achieved 3-star OCOP status. Photo: Van Ngoc

Gradually improve the quality of OCOP products

Also according to the Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Target Program Coordination for New Rural Development in Son La Province: From 2023, Son La Province will implement the OCOP Program Criteria for the 2021-2025 period. The new criteria set adjusts and supplements a number of contents. For example, product evaluation and classification is carried out at the commune level, instead of at the district level as before.

In addition, the district People's Committee will recognize 3-star OCOP products instead of the provincial level as before, helping localities proactively select typical products, saving time and implementation costs for the subjects.

To date, Son La province has 151 OCOP products, including 1 product achieving 5 stars. Photo: Van Ngoc

The innovation in the way of evaluating and recognizing OCOP products has created more favorable conditions for entities to build and develop OCOP products with local advantages and characteristics. As a result, Son La province now has 151 OCOP products, of which 1 product has achieved 5 stars; 55 products have achieved 4 stars and 95 products have achieved 3 stars.

Building OCOP products contributes to increasing product value and promoting sustainable economic development in rural areas. Photo: Van Ngoc

The goal by 2025 is that the whole Son La province strives for each commune and ward to have at least one OCOP product. The province continues to promote the application of science and technology in management, building models of small and medium enterprises and cooperatives producing OCOP products. Implement the registration of traceability of OCOP products on the province's traceability system. At the same time, review and orient the development of products according to quality. Focus resources on developing existing products, perfecting conditions to upgrade products from 3 stars to 4 stars, from 4 stars to 5 stars, meeting the increasing demands of the market.

By 2030, the province strives to have at least 50% of 3-star OCOP products in the 2021-2025 period upgraded to 4 stars; at least 10 OCOP products meeting national 5-star standards and 40-50 OCOP products of the province exported abroad. The application of science and technology is one of the key factors to help products improve quality and competitiveness in the market.

Van Ngoc