Cao Loc: Focusing on building and developing OCOP products

– Program (OCOP), from 2019 to now, all levels and sectors in Cao Loc district have actively propagated, implemented, built and completed profiles and organized the evaluation and rating of OCOP at the district level, selected products to participate in the provincial product evaluation and ranking contest. Thereby, it has contributed to increasing production value and increasing income for people.

Gia Cat Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative, Gia Cat commune has specialized in growing seasonal vegetables, tubers and fruits for many years. In 2020, being propagated by the district specialized agency about the OCOP program, the cooperative registered two products to participate in the program, including yellow-flowered Chinese broccoli and cabbage buds. Accordingly, with the guidance of professional officials, the cooperative has actively organized production in the direction of safety, promoted the application of science and technology, built brands, trademarks, quality and food hygiene and safety and so on. Ensuring safety, meeting quality requirements, by the end of 2020, both products were evaluated and classified by competent authorities as three-star OCOP at the provincial level, supported with packaging, labeling and traceability stamp.

Mr. Hoang Van Thuan, Director of the Cooperative said that through participating in the OCOP program, the cooperative’s clean vegetables, tubers and fruits in general and yellow-flowered Chinese broccoli and cabbage bud products in particular are further known to consumers, highly appreciated for the quality as well as product design, the market has gradually been expanded, contributing to the revenue of over 600 million VND/year, an increase of 20% compared to 2019. Thereby, the cooperative members have an income of 50-70 million VND/year.

The official of the District Division of Agriculture and Rural Development commented on editing the box sample for OCOP products in the district

To participate in the OCOP program, products need to ensure food hygiene and safety quality, have packaging and labels and product origin according to regulations and so forth. Therefore, the district’s specialized divisions have actively propagated, mobilizing and guiding people to deploy the production model in a safety direction, VietGAP; coordinated with communes and townships to train on the OCOP program. From 2019 to now, the District Division of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated to organize three training courses for 210 people. Along with that, in 2020, from the OCOP program’s funding of over 240 million VND, the District People’s Committee supported the program participants with nearly 66,000 stamps of traceability; 10,000 product packages and labels; building promotional websites, organizing trade promotion activities, increasing participation in trade fairs and exhibitions to introduce products.

Mr. Loc Van Hoang, Head of the Cooperation Group for the production of Bao Lam seedless persimmons, Hai Yen commune, said that in 2019, guided and oriented by the staff of the District Division of Agriculture and Rural Development to participate in the OCOP program, the Cooperation Group members planted and cared for persimmons according to VietGAP standards, applied science and technology to production, thereby, increasing productivity and quality. At the end of 2020, Bao Lam seedless persimmon products in Hai Yen commune were evaluated and ranked as 3-star OCOP products at the provincial level, thereby, contributing to improving the brand and increasing the consumption market. The Cooperation Group produced and supplied to the market over 15 tons of persimmons and sold at the price of 35 to 40 thousand VND/kg, earning over 500 million VND in 2020, an increase of more than 50 million VND compared to 2019.

With synchronous solutions, so far, Cao Loc district has had three products certified as three-star OCOP at the provincial level, including Bao Lam seedless persimmons (Hai Yen commune); yellow-flowered Chinese broccoli and cabbage buds (Gia Cat Clean Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative).

Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh, Head of Cao Loc District Agriculture and Rural Development Division, said that the OCOP program not only contributes to increasing the value of agricultural products but also promotes the image and enhances the brand of special local produce. This is the basis for forming concentrated production areas, promoting production linkages, contributing to the successful construction of new-style rural areas in the district.

From the values ​​brought by OCOP products, although the 2021 funding for the program has not been allocated, Cao Loc district has actively selected and guided subjects to complete dossiers, striving to have three more OCOP products at the provincial level including Bao Lam seedless persimmons (Hoa Cu commune); dried star anise flowers (Huu Le commune); macadamia nuts (Yen Trach commune). In addition, the district continues to propose and build three more products: herbal leaf yeast wine, forest lemons (Cong Son commune), smoked meat (Cong Son Agricultural Cooperative) in the following years, contributing to raising people’s income