Promoting and consuming agricultural products through digital platforms

In order to expand the consumption market and contribute to the promotion of agricultural brands, in recent years, all levels and functional sectors in the province have actively introduced to the people and supported them to use digital platforms to sell products on the e-commerce floor.

Lang Son has many advantages in developing agriculture, forestry and many specialty agricultural products. However, the introduction and consumption of these products is still limited, most of them through traditional forms of consumption.

Provincial Post Office staff instructs delegates to use the online shopping application postmart.vn at the launching ceremony of the “Digital Citizen of Xu Lang” platform and developing electronic payment accounts. Photo: Hoang Vuong

In July 2021, the Provincial People’s Committee implemented a program to develop the digital economy. Accordingly, sectors and units increasingly introduce and guide households to create digital stores, electronic payment accounts and help them to sell products on e-commerce channels. Following the directive documents and the plan to develop the digital economy in the province, the Department of Information and Communications (DOIC) has organized training conferences to implement the program through both online and offline forms with the participation of leaders of departments, sectors, People’s Committees of districts, Lang Son city and communes in the province. From the beginning of 2022 until now, the department has organized 38 training sessions attended by 12,000 people who are members of the community digital technology team, secretaries of the youth unions of communes and towns to improve their capacity to support people in creating payment accounts, buy and sell on the e-commerce floors…

In addition, districts and Lang Son city have also identified digital economy development as one of the key tasks and they have developed specific plans for implementation. Ms. Hoang Thi Kim Hoat, Head of the Culture and Information Division of Dinh Lap district, said: “To effectively implement the program, the district has created 113 community digital technology groups to support people to open digital accounts and stores. Up to now, there have been 3,511 electronic payment accounts and 11,862 accounts on postmart.vn and voso.vn. The products listed on the e-commerce trading floors include Dinh Lap blue-neck duck, Thuan Anh corn noodle, Bat Tien tea, etc. Thereby, this helps to promote the brand of the district’s agricultural products across the country.”

Along with Dinh Lap, districts and city also strengthen support for people to sell agricultural products on e-commerce floors. In addition, people in the area also actively apply information technology to post, promote their brands, and consume products through social networking sites such as facebook, zalo…

Ms. Chu Thi Hanh, owner of Chu Hanh jelly production facility, Na Sam town, Van Lang district said: “After the introduction from an official of specialized division of the district, I get to know that e-commerce floors are a potential channel for consumption and promotion. With the support of related units, by the end of 2021, I have registered accounts on postmart.vn and voso.vn and successfully posted products for sale. As a result, the product sales in increased. Previously, every day, we produced and sold about 60 boxes of jelly. After posting on 2 e-commerce floors, facebook, zalo, on average, each day, we produced and sold from 100 to 150 jelly box.”

People of Lang Son city are guided by representatives of units in the area to use digital stores

Thanks to the active participation of functional sectors and units, up to now, there have been over 202,000 selling accounts and more than 115,000 buying accounts on e-commerce platforms postmart.vn and voso.vn in the province, 19,438 agricultural products, specialties and OCOP products have been introduced to sell online. Thereby, it contributes to the consumption and promotion of agricultural products widely to consumers inside and outside the province, revenue from e-commerce channels has reached over 13.7 billion VND.

According to Mr. Dang Bao Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Digital Technology Center, Department of Information and Communications, the development of the digital economy was gradually changing people’s perception and traditional ways of consuming products in the digital space. It helped to expand the product consumption space from district to the province and and nationwide. Especially, the products posted on the e-commerce floors with production process, traceability stamp, label, etc., could easily create trust with customers, contributing to building and promoting the brand of provincial agricultural products within the country and abroad.

Ms. Hoang Kieu Nga, Long Bien district, Hanoi city said: “Through postmart.vn, I came to know the brand Chi Lang custard apple and ordered 10 kg. Here, I can find all details about the product such as origin, production process as well as price and I can contact with the seller. Therefore, this product can be trusted.”

Thus, with the advantage of quickly conveying information and images about products to consumers, e-commerce channels and social networking sites have contributed to helping people and businesses in the province effectively sell and promote their products. In the coming time, functional sectors and units should continue to promote digital economic development, support people to maintain and develop digital accounts and introduce agricultural products to e-commerce channels, contributing to expanding the consumption market and promoting the brand name of agricultural products of the province.