Tien Hai: Elevating OCOP products

In recent years, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program has been effectively implemented by all levels and sectors in Tien Hai district, attracting the participation of many individuals, cooperatives and enterprises. Up to now, the district has 12 products with 3 stars or more, of which 4 products with 4 stars are sedge products of Tay An Handicraft Production and Import-Export Company Limited; sea ducks and sea duck eggs of Dong Xuyen General Livestock Cooperative, Dong Xuyen commune; Thai Binh 3T clean rice of Michiannai Microbiology Joint Stock Company. OCOP certified products are trusted by consumers and have gradually established a foothold in the market.

Building OCOP products, contributing to solving employment for rural workers.

Mr. Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tien Hai district, said: The implementation of the OCOP program is a solution to promote the rural economy in the direction of promoting internal resources and increasing product value, creating jobs for local workers. The OCOP star rating is a measure of the quality, competitiveness of products in the market and the potential for product development towards export goods. Therefore, upgrading the star rating for OCOP products is of interest to the subjects. Currently, the evaluation and recognition of OCOP products will be decentralized to the People's Committee at the district level to evaluate and recognize 3-star OCOP products; the People's Committee at the provincial level to evaluate and recognize 4-star OCOP products; the central level to evaluate and recognize 5-star OCOP products (national OCOP products). In 2023, Tien Hai district is proposing to upgrade 1 4-star OCOP product to 5 stars, which is a sedge product of Tay An Handicraft Production and Import-Export Company Limited and 1 4-star free-range chicken product of Dong Xuyen General Livestock Cooperative.

As one of the enterprises producing sedge products participating in the OCOP program, Tay An Handicraft Production and Import-Export Company Limited always focuses on investing and innovating product designs. In 2020, the Company's sedge products were one of 17 products of Thai Binh achieving a 4-star rating.

Ms. Pham Thi Ngan, Director of the Company, said: I established the Company with the desire to develop the local traditional craft and create stable jobs for rural workers. During the production and business process, I have strived to overcome many difficulties; worked hard to learn, research the market, invest in technology, equipment... Currently, the Company creates jobs for 40 - 50 workers at the factory and 3,000 workers working in localities in the province with an income of 3 - 6 million VND/person/month. From the beginning of 2023 to now, the Company produces an average of 200,000 - 300,000 products per month, with revenue in the first 9 months of the year reaching more than 50 billion VND. To enhance the brand and promote exports to large and potential markets, the Company is trying to upgrade its products to 5 stars. From there, the Company focuses on the following 5-star criteria: Products with high community value, using 100% of raw materials in the province; mainly using local labor; building a production chain linked to consumption... In 2023, the Company strives to improve technology and product designs to create sophisticated and unique products. In particular, the Company has been proactive in raw material sources, applying information technology in trade promotion on digital platforms, adapting to the strict requirements of the European and American markets.

Thanks to the initiative of the subjects, the products meeting OCOP standards in Tien Hai have maintained the conditions of design, product quality as well as the set criteria. Most of the products have increased consumption output and are highly appreciated by customers.

Mr. Bui Van Khai, Seafood Production and Processing Company No. 06 (Nam Cuong Commune) shared: Having been passed down from our ancestors, my family members and I are striving to bring traditional fish sauce products to meet 3-star OCOP standards in 2021. Currently, the Company has 33 annealing tanks, each tank will produce about 1,000 liters of fish sauce per year. With the selling price of grade 1 fish sauce at 150,000 VND/liter, grade 2 at 100,000 VND/liter, the Company's average income is about 2 billion VND/year. In the coming time, to develop the Tien Chau fish sauce brand, bring the product further, and dominate the market, I registered to upgrade the 3-star OCOP product to 4 stars. Accordingly, the Company's fish sauce products are completing the conditions for organic recognition, food hygiene and safety, labeling, etc.

Identifying the OCOP program as one of the solutions to increase product value, in 2023, Tien Hai district had 22 products from 18 communes registering to develop OCOP products, contributing to bringing the production value in the first 9 months of the year to more than 17,500 billion VND, of which the agricultural, forestry and fishery sector is estimated at nearly 3,800 billion VND, an increase of 2.58%.

Mr. Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Head of the District's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, added: Upgrading OCOP products is a mandatory condition. When the deadline is 36 months from the date of recognition, if the subject does not comply, the certificate will be revoked. To improve the quality of OCOP products, the district always pays attention to, creates conditions, and guides OCOP product subjects to develop plans and organize production and business development to ensure efficiency; expand production linkages according to the value chain; improve the quality of output products, improve labels, designs, and packaging. Support funding to introduce key products... By 2025, Tien Hai strives to have over 50% of communes meeting advanced new rural standards, and 2 or more communes meeting model new rural standards. Average income reaches 76 million VND/person/year.