(VOVWORLD) - In the past few years, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program has turned many local products from Mekong Delta provinces into products that are well known and respected in other markets. The region’s OCOP products have raised the living standard of local farmers and boosted the local economy.
 Dong Thap province’s OCOP products (Photo: VOV) |
So far 161 products in Dong Thap province have been certified 3 or 4 stars. Dong Thap has signed agreements with many supermarkets and trading centers to display and promote its specialties, new products, and OCOP products. Centers to introduce Dong Thap’s specialties and tourism have been set up in major economic hubs like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Vo Tien Thanh, Director of the provincial Investment and Trade Promotion Center, said Dong Thap’s OCOP items are in high demand and boosting farmers' income.
“We plan to invest more in product packaging, designs, and barcodes to meet the standards for exports. In the long term, we will add these products to our lists of export items to help farmers increase sales,” said Thanh.
 A stall displays OCOP items in Soc Trang province (Photo: VOV) |
In its OCOP product development strategy, Soc Trang province has paid special attention to building a management, monitoring, and evaluation system and helped businesses develop brands by organizing trade fairs and exhibitions to connect buyers and sellers of OCOP products.
Enterprises with OCOP items are encouraged to promote their products and improve product quality.
In the past two years, 25 contracts and 75 memorandums of understanding have been signed between OCOP providers and supermarkets, retail stores, and large distributors like Co.opMart, Lotte, and Tu Son.
Duong Minh Trung, Director of the Cam Thieu Company, which specializes in trading tea products with custard-apple flavor, said, “Online marketing and sales will go on to reach more consumers because now an increasing number of consumers buy goods through online channels. We are advertising products on e-commerce websites.”
 Dried sweet potatoes processed by the Dong Phat Food Company in Binh Tan district, Vinh Long province (Photo: VOV)
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Vinh Long is another province in the Mekong Delta that has benefited from the OCOP program. The program has generated jobs for rural workers and raised farmers’ living standard.
Vinh Long focuses on food and beverages, souvenirs, interior decoration, and tourism services.
To date, Vinh Long has 34 OCOP products made by 24 enterprises, cooperatives, and households. Eight of the products are 4-star products.
Doan Ngoc Thanh Xuan, Deputy Director of the Center for Agriculture Technique Services of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, “Trade promotion programs have been organized on a regular basis, and advertising of products and services has increased.”
“Training courses have been held to teach organizations and individuals how to participate in the program. The most important thing has been regularly rating the OCOP products to make them better,” according to Xuan.
The Mekong Delta region has more than 500 OCOP products, many of which have been exported.