Customers view OCOP products from Thuan Chau district at the first Son La Provincial Coffee Festival - Photo: VGP/LS

According to Mr. Lo Van Thoa, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Thuan Chau district, the Department has advised the District People's Committee to direct communes and towns to plan production areas suitable to the potential and advantages of the locality. This includes integrating the implementation of policies supporting production and building products along the value chain. It encourages the development of family farms, large-scale farms, and cooperative economic models. Furthermore, it promotes the dissemination of information, training in professional skills for developing OCOP products, and organizes promotional activities to bring the district's distinctive products to the market.

Every year, the district assigns targets for the development of OCOP products to communes and towns; it directs the integration of resources to support businesses in building raw material areas, production and packaging facilities, ensuring food safety and hygiene, and having traceability labels… To date, Thuan Chau has 8 OCOP products that have achieved 3 stars or higher, contributing positively to the transformation of small-scale agricultural production to larger-scale production and value chain linkages. Many products have been well received by consumers inside and outside the province and have participated in exports, initially establishing their brands, such as: Thu Dan Oolong Tea, Pha Din Top tourist destination, Chieng La smoked fish, Da River tilapia fillet, Trong Nguyen tea, Phong Lai honey, Huong Doi smoked buffalo meat, and Minh Tri Arabica coffee.

In 2020, Thu Dan Oolong tea, produced by Thu Dan Tea Co., Ltd. in Kien Xuong village, Phong Lai commune, was recognized as a 4-star OCOP product. Each year, the company sells 600 tons of Oolong tea to domestic and international markets. Mr. Pham Van Doanh, Director of Thu Dan Tea Co., Ltd., shared: "In 2024, the Oolong tea product is undergoing a re-evaluation process for the OCOP product. Currently, the company is coordinating with specialized agencies of the district to complete the evaluation and re-recognition dossier, contributing to expanding the market, especially to large supermarkets domestically and for export abroad."

In 2024, Thuan Chau district continued to register 8 OCOP products, including 6 new products: frozen whole chicken meat and medicinal chicken floss from Cha May Agricultural Cooperative; Khanh Ngoc herbal rice wine from Hoang Khanh Ngoc business household; mac khen powder from Phong Lap Agricultural Cooperative; fresh taro and frozen sliced ​​taro from Hung Thinh Agricultural Production, Business and Livestock Development Cooperative. Two products were re-evaluated: Pha Din Top Tourist Destination, Pha Din Tourism Cooperative; and Thu Dan Oolong Tea, Thu Dan Tea Company Limited.

Phong Lai honey from Thuan Chau district has achieved OCOP 4-star standard - Photo: VGP/LS

Accordingly, the district conducted surveys and assessments of the potential, financial activities, and product origins of the participating units in the program. It guided household groups, production teams, and cooperatives on product packaging, labeling, traceability stamps, and procedures for obtaining food safety certification. Three training conferences were organized to enhance the leadership and implementation capacity of over 250 officials working on rural development at the commune and village levels, as well as the "One Commune, One Product" program.

Taking us on a tour of the mắc khén (a type of spice) plantation, Mr. Lỗ Trường Giang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phổng Lập commune, said: Due to the demand for mắc khén products, the commune encourages people to expand the planting area, intercropping it with coffee plants. Currently, the commune has more than 30 hectares of mắc khén trees, planted in the villages of Nà Ban, Ta Tú, Nà Khoang, Mầu Thái, Pá Sàng, and Bản Lập. To develop the OCOP product, the commune has encouraged households to form the Phổng Lập Agricultural Cooperative. In coordination with specialized agencies of the district, they support and guide households and the cooperative in conducting surveys and assessing the processing potential of mắc khén fruit; production processes; and completing the application dossiers for the OCOP product program.

Mr. Lo Van Hoan, Director of Phong Lap Agricultural Cooperative, said: "To build a brand for mac khen fruit products, the specialized agencies of the district have supported the cooperative in building a production factory; guided the design of packaging for mac khen fruit products; and connected with the market to create a unique brand for Phong Lap's mac khen products."

With the goal of developing 3-4 new OCOP products each year, Thuan Chau district continues to direct the establishment of agricultural cooperatives producing organic products to optimally exploit the potential, advantages, and available resources of the district in developing the scale and diversity of OCOP products. It also aims to consolidate and improve the quality of already recognized OCOP products, strengthen the development of OCOP products linked to the district's potential strengths, such as medicinal herbs, services, and tourism, and attract investment and encourage businesses to deeply process products, especially those from tea, fruit, and livestock, for domestic consumption and export.

Source: Government Newspaper