Developing local advantages to create OCOP products.

The sweet mandarin orange trees of Nghia Hung Fruit Growing Cooperative in Muong Coi commune (Phu Yen district, Son La province) have a long history of development. Along with this, adhering to VietGAP production standards since 2019 has helped the cooperative's mandarin oranges receive high praise from partners and customers. The development of OCOP products is closely linked to building the cooperative's fruit brand. Therefore, from 2020 to the present, the cooperative's fruit products, especially sweet mandarins, have consistently commanded high prices and are favored by customers, thus remaining independent of market fluctuations.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Khanh, Director of Nghia Hung Fruit Growing Cooperative in Muong Coi commune (Phu Yen district, Son La province), said: "With citrus fruits as our main products, when we were encouraged to develop OCOP products, we chose sweet tangerines. In 2020, the cooperative's sweet tangerines were recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. Annually, we produce 80 tons of fruit, which is not enough to supply our traditional customers. Therefore, we have developed a plan to expand the area for growing sweet tangerines combined with organic production. We will continue to improve the quality, brand, and value of sweet tangerines, thereby meeting the needs of customers both within and outside the province."

Becoming an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product has increased the value of sweet tangerines in Phu Yen. Photo: Van Ngoc

Focusing investment, development orientation, and building local agricultural products with strengths into OCOP products to enhance product value, after more than 5 years of implementing the "One Commune, One Product" program, Phu Yen district (Son La province) now has 10 OCOP products rated "3 stars" or higher. This result has created momentum for the locality to continue developing distinctive products, aiming to expand consumption markets and develop agriculture in a sustainable direction.

In a discussion with us about the development of OCOP products in the district, Ms. Bac Cam Thi Xieng, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Phu Yen district, said: During the 2018-2020 period, when the development of OCOP products began, the District People's Committee directed the Agriculture and Rural Development Department and the communes and towns in the district to review the strong and distinctive products of each locality.

Based on that, the district evaluates products with the potential to develop into OCOP products, focusing support on communes, businesses, and cooperatives to improve product quality. To date, the district has 3 products that have achieved "4 stars," while the rest have achieved 3-star OCOP products; these products are continuing to be improved and their quality enhanced.

To date, Phu Yen district (Son La province) has dozens of OCOP products. Photo: Van Ngoc

Meanwhile, in Yen Chau district (Son La province), recognizing the potential and economic value of the local single-clove garlic, the Tay Bac Cooperative successfully researched and manufactured a machine for fermenting and drying black garlic. In 2018, the cooperative's black garlic reached consumers, with an initial production of about 1 ton per year. To date, the cooperative has expanded its production scale, with 15 fermentation and drying ovens, each with a capacity of 1.5 tons, producing an average of 45 tons of black garlic per year, generating revenue of over 10 billion VND.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen Linh, Director of the Cooperative, said: "After harvesting, fresh garlic is sorted, washed, the roots and stem ends are removed, then it is arranged in trays and placed in an oven for 30 days until the garlic peel dries out, and the cloves inside turn black, soft, pliable, and sweet. In 2020, the Cooperative registered with the District People's Committee to receive support in completing the application for participation in the OCOP Program."

To date, the cooperative's black garlic product has been recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. In addition, the cooperative has also developed other products such as black garlic soaked in honey, black garlic wine, ancient On Oc San Tuyet tea, dried male papaya flowers, dried bananas, and dried plums under the brand "Diep Bach," which are popular with consumers.

Black garlic, an OCOP product of Yen Chau district (Son La province). Photo: Van Ngoc

Developing OCOP products step by step, increasing farmers' income.

To enhance the value and competitiveness of OCOP products in the market, businesses and cooperatives in Son La province have proactively implemented solutions related to science and technology. Annually, the Department of Science and Technology conducts surveys and assessments of the needs of cooperatives and businesses to support the application and transfer of technology and technical advancements in production and processing.

The program guides businesses and production units in labeling goods, designing product packaging, registering codes and barcodes, and ensuring traceability; building brand and trademark protection for OCOP products... Through these activities, cooperatives and production facilities producing OCOP products have been promoted. To date, the province has 151 OCOP products, including 1 five-star product, 57 four-star products, and 93 three-star products.

To date, Son La province has 151 OCOP products, including one 5-star product. Photo: Van Ngoc

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

The goal is that by 2030, at least 50% of OCOP products that achieved 3-star status in the 2021-2025 period will be upgraded to 4-star; at least 10 OCOP products will meet national 5-star standards; and 40-50 provincial OCOP products will be exported abroad. The application of science and technology is one of the key factors in improving the quality and competitiveness of these products in the market.

Source: trangtraiviet.danviet.vn