A showroom displays and sells products under the country’s One Commune-One Product (OCOP) programme and other products in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tra Vinh.

Launched in 2018, the OCOP programme focuses on developing specialty products and high-quality products in rural areas to increase incomes for locals and boost the sustainability of economic development in rural areas.

OCOP products are commercial products and services such as food and beverages, handicrafts and rural tourism services. They are classified as having one to five stars.

Under the programme, the Cuu Long delta, which is the country’s largest rice, seafood and fruit producer, has developed more OCOP products and increased their value.

Can Tho recognised 18 new OCOP products last year, including 10 three-star OCOP products and eight four-star products. It has a total of 92 OCOP products so far.

Dong Thap province has 269 OCOP products rated between three and four stars.

Dong Thap is one of the country’s 10 top provinces and cities that have the largest number of OCOP products, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Nguyen Van Na, deputy director of the Dong Thap Department of Industry and Trade, said the department, in co-operation with agencies and other provinces and cities nationwide, has organised various activities to promote the sale of OCOP products.

Dong Thap has 161 OCOP products that are sold on the country’s large e-commerce platforms such as Tiki, Lazada, Shopee and Voso.vn.

It has organised courses to provide skills for households and production establishments to sell their OCOP products on two e-commerce platforms – postmart.vn and Voso.vn.

Doan Tan Buu, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee, said the province targets all of its three-star OCOP products will be sold on the two e-commerce platforms.

Increase sales

The sales of products and their prices increase after they are recognised as OCOP products, according to the delta’s local authorities.

In Ca Mau province, more than 30% of OCOP products see their revenue sales increase by 5-7% and their prices also increase by 5-20%, according to the province’s OCOP product classification and evaluation committee.

The province’s OCOP products have been sold on modern distribution channels and e-commerce platforms, and some are exported to Canada, Australia, Singapore and China.

Pham Van Thieu, Chairman of the Bac Lieu Province People’s Committee and chairman of its OCOP product classification and evaluation committee, said products that are recognised under the OCOP programme have markets expanded, and sales are stable.

After a product is recognised as OCOP, its orders have been increased by 10-40%, he said.

Nguyen Thi Cam Tu, owner of Kieu Hanh dried mudskipper producing establishment in Bac Lieu’s Vinh Loi district, said before her dried mudskipper product was recognised as an OCOP, she sold about five tonnes of the dried fish each year.

“After dried mudskipper was recognised as an OCOP product, its sales have increased three times,” she said.

To further develop OCOP products, the delta’s local authorities have implemented various measures, including supporting producers to invest in production facilities and improve product quality.

They are also strengthening trade promotion activities, advertising OCOP products on mass media and websites, and setting up showrooms for OCOP products.

Phan Thi Thu Oanh, deputy director of Bac Lieu province's Department of Industry and Trade, said the department will tighten co-operation with its counterparts in HCM City, Hanoi and other provinces and cities, supermarkets and other goods distributors to find stable outlets for OCOP products.

The department will encourage companies to directly participate in fairs at home and abroad to introduce their OCOP products, she said.

Bac Lieu will set up showrooms for OCOP products at its popular tourism destinations.

It has encouraged the establishment of cooperatives to produce OCOP products with large quantities and high quality.

It will apply digitalisation to facilitate procedures of applying for OCOP product certification, and classifying and evaluating OCOP products.

In Soc Trang province, local authorities are improving human resources to implement the programme, are supporting OCOP product producers and are investing in infrastructure to serve the programme.

Vuong Quoc Nam, Vice Chairman of the Soc Trang Province People’s Committee, said the province will strengthen advocacy activities on mass media to promote the programme.

It will combine the programme's implementation with restructuring agricultural production, developing rural economy and building new-style rural areas, he said.

It will also develop its OCOP website, he said.

Soc Trang plans to have at least 200 OCOP products rated three stars and above in 2023-25.

During the period, it aims for at least 50% of its OCOP products to maintain their stars or upgrade their star levels.

It also aims for at least 50% of OCOP producers will sell their products through modern channels.

Soc Trang has 189 OCOP products rated at least three stars, with one rated five stars./.