Strongly spread ocop Bac Lieu products

Chairman of Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee Pham Van Thieu suggested many solutions to help improve the quality and quantity of local OCOP products.

Bac Lieu refined salt and grain salt products are completing procedures to request the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to recognize them as 5-star OCOP. The above information not only brings joy to the OCOP product owners but also serves as a great source of encouragement for salt farmers who are "working hard" to produce high-quality salt grains for the market.

Bac Lieu salt is considered the best in the country because it is salty but not bitter or astringent, so it is favored by consumers.

Based on the strengths of the locality, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program is of particular importance in developing the rural economy in the direction of promoting internal strength and increasing value. This is also considered an important solution and task in implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Development for the period 2021-2025. According to the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, the locality is building and developing OCOP products based on the strengths and advantages of the province; developing small and medium enterprises associated with the development of services, industries and labor in rural areas. To date, the OCOP Program has been replicated in many provinces and cities across the country with tens of thousands of products recognized as OCOP. Currently, Bac Lieu has 145 recognized OCOP products with 31 products achieving 4 stars and 114 products achieving 3 stars. Two products, Bac Lieu refined salt and Bac Lieu grain salt, are completing procedures to request the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to recognize 5-star OCOP products. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Thao, Deputy Director of Bac Lieu Salt Joint Stock Company, said that OCOP certified products are evaluated and classified on many aspects, such as: quality, community value, cultural value, production and commercial capacity of the subject... OCOP certified products have been affirming their value and quality in the market. Bac Lieu Salt Joint Stock Company is producing, processing and trading two main product lines: food salt (grain salt, refined salt, iodized salt) and seasoning salt (chili salt, shrimp salt, pepper salt, vegetarian salt). Of the above products, 4 products have achieved 4-star OCOP and 2 products (grain salt, refined salt) are proposing to be recognized by the central government as achieving 5 stars. "This is an important step forward in developing traditional local products, while also demonstrating respect for the salt-making profession. The salt-making profession has been passed down through many generations of people and has a history of hundreds of years in the locality. Bac Lieu salt is salty but not bitter or astringent, so it is highly appreciated by domestic and foreign consumers," Ms. Thao shared.

Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee, visited booths at the Conference on connecting supply and demand of OCOP products between Bac Lieu province and other provinces and cities in 2024.

Improving both quantity and quality In recent times, all levels and functional sectors of Bac Lieu province have always paid attention to supporting OCOP product owners in building brands, designing models, packaging... Although many impressive results have been achieved, the implementation of the OCOP program in Bac Lieu still faces many difficulties. Specifically, many OCOP products of the province have not been able to penetrate deeply into the market while the demand of people and tourists is very large. The head of the Bac Lieu provincial government frankly pointed out that the reason for the above situation is partly due to not doing a good job of trade promotion and finding output for products.

Youth participate in startups According to Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee, the relevant agencies must call on and mobilize young people to participate in startup models with agricultural products and products from the rural economy related to the OCOP program. Support entities to develop OCOP products in communes, especially those in remote areas, so that people have the opportunity to access and participate in the program. At the same time, it is necessary to further promote activities and promote trade of OCOP products through organizing provincial fairs; participating in regional, national and international fairs... to promote and introduce Bac Lieu OCOP products. "In addition to diversifying commercial forms, it is necessary to promote digital transformation in promoting and promoting OCOP products. Connect and promote OCOP products on social networks, e-commerce platforms... to create a spread and enhance the product image as well as the brand of OCOP Bac Lieu in the market" - Mr. Pham Van Thieu emphasized.

A representative of Central Retail Group said that through the process of cooperation with local suppliers, the unit has seen many positive signals but there are also many difficulties and challenges that need to be resolved to improve product quality, such as: some production facilities have not fully met the necessary conditions to bring goods into the supermarket system; the lack of initiative in cooperation of some suppliers and manufacturers. Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province, said that in order to further improve the quality and quantity of OCOP products in the province, departments, branches, localities and entities must synchronously implement many solutions in the coming time. Accordingly, it is necessary to promote propaganda about the OCOP program; regularly organize training courses to improve the capacity of OCOP program managers at the provincial and district levels and entities with products; build a website to propagate the program and promote OCOP products. In addition to strengthening support for OCOP product owners to invest in advanced equipment to improve production processes and expand business scale, it is necessary to pay attention to researching and designing logos and product packaging suitable to the needs and tastes of the market. Registering intellectual property for OCOP products as well as orienting the development of OCOP product brands and using barcodes according to regulations. "It is necessary to build and form separate and unique OCOP product distribution chains to create highlights to promote consumption as well as promote supply-demand connection activities. At the same time, support economic entities participating in the OCOP program to develop environmental protection plans during production and business" - Chairman of Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee suggested. source: https://nld.com.vn/lan-toa-manh-me-san-pham-ocop-bac-lieu-196250113135023143.htm