The 6th Congress of Nghe An Province Cooperative Alliance

Attending the congress, on behalf of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, there was comrade Nguyen Ngoc Bao - Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee: Le Hong Vinh - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Ngoc Kim Nam - Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission; Vo Thi Minh Sinh - Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Provincial Agencies; Phan Duc Dong - Secretary of the Vinh City Party Committee. Representatives of the Provincial People's Council; provincial departments, branches and sectors.

Delegates perform the flag-saluting ceremony at the congress. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Cooperative sector revenue is estimated at 2,000 billion VND

Report ofProvincial Cooperative UnionAccording to the report, up to now, the province has 780 cooperatives; 02 cooperative unions and 3,016 cooperative groups. The activities of cooperatives and cooperative groups are mainly in the fields of agricultural services, livestock, agricultural product consumption, fishing, aquaculture, industry and handicrafts, construction, credit, trade, transportation, and environment. The number of employees working in the cooperative sector is 60,321 people, with 244,916 members, of which 145,082 members are individuals, 99,828 members are households, and 6 business members.

Panorama of the congress. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The growth rate of the cooperative economic sector reaches an average of 7-7.5%/year.Credit FundThe People's Fund has 59 operating funds in 153 communes (accounting for 32% of the total number of communes, wards and towns of the province) of 17 districts, cities and towns.

The quality of the operations of thecooperativeThe number of good/excellent cooperatives and average cooperatives has increased year by year. The number of weak/poor cooperatives has decreased. At the beginning of the term, nearly 30% of cooperatives were weak, and by the end of the term, it had decreased to 4.0%.

Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Bao - Chairman of Vietnam Cooperative Alliance spoke at the congress. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In parallel with training cooperative staff, in the past term, the Provincial Cooperative Union proactively implemented the vocational training project for 10,680 rural workers under Project 5222.

Total revenue of the cooperative sector by the end of 2019 reached 1,928 billion VND, an increase of 973 billion VND compared to the beginning of the term. In the first 9 months of 2020, it reached nearly 1,200 billion VND, and is estimated to reach nearly 2,000 billion VND for the whole year of 2020. Labor income reached an average of 4-4.5 million VND/month. To date, 21/21 districts and cities have at least 01 new cooperative model associated with the value chain.

Chart of total revenue of cooperative sector from 2016-2020. Graphics: Tran Hai

In the period of 2020-2025, the Provincial Cooperative Union sets the goal: Establish 20 new cooperative groups and 40-45 cooperatives each year; by 2025, develop 03 new Cooperative Unions. Coordinate with districts to annually build 1-2 new cooperative models linking value chains. Strive to have over 30% of cooperatives producing goods and implementing value chains by 2025.

By 2025, the entire cooperative sector will have 65-70% of cooperatives operating effectively, over 25% of cooperatives operating averagely, and the number of weak cooperatives will be less than 4%. By 2025, the average income will reach 5-6 million VND/person/month. By 2025, the contribution ratio of the Collective Economic Sector and Cooperatives will reach about 8.5% of the province's GRDP.

At the congress, the presentations discussed and proposed recommendations of cooperatives and cooperative groups in cooperative economic activities in the coming period: Agricultural services associated with trade services; improving the management and business level of cooperatives; Issues of concern for the development of people's credit funds.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung spoke at the congress. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Affirming the role of cooperatives in agriculture

Speaking at the congress, comrade Nguyen Ngoc Bao - Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung highly agreed with the content of the review of the shortcomings and limitations pointed out in the political report and review report of the Executive Committee of the 5th Provincial Cooperative Alliance presented to the Congress.

The Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance believes that wherever local authorities pay attention to cooperatives, there cooperatives and cooperative groups will develop strongly and vice versa.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung noted: Collective economy and cooperatives have not developed evenly; the internal capacity of some cooperatives is still weak, the facilities are still poor, and the technology is outdated. Some cooperatives have not operated in compliance with the principles and the Law on Cooperatives; joint ventures, associations, and mutual support for development are not very effective, and the contribution to the gross domestic product is still low. The review, consolidation, conversion, merger, and dissolution of weak cooperatives have not received due attention from local Party committees and authorities. Linking product consumption according to the value chain has not received due attention; there are few typical new cooperative models.

The Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province presented a banner to the Provincial Cooperative Union. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized a number of contents that need to be implemented in the new term: Continuing to raise awareness and responsibility for all levels, sectors, and the entire political system on the task of developing the collective economy; identifying the development of the collective economy and cooperatives along with the development of private enterprises as important driving forces to promote the province's socio-economic development.

Continue to effectively implement Conclusion No. 70 dated March 9, 2020 of the Politburo, Resolution No. 134 dated September 25, 2020 of the Government, policies of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Project of the Provincial People's Committee on innovation, development and improvement of collective economic efficiency, Law on Cooperatives.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung and Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Nguyen Ngoc Bao visited the exhibition booths of some typical cooperatives in Nghe An. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Party committees at all levels, authorities, departments, branches, sectors and organizations need to identify responsibilities and create favorable conditions for the collective economy and cooperatives to develop; improve the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of State management in direction and operation; encourage and support enterprises, cooperatives and cooperative groups to develop, creating an environment for people to feel secure in production and consumption according to the value chain...

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung also proposed to classify and comprehensively evaluate the activities of cooperatives in the whole province; Resolutely dissolve or terminate weakly operating cooperatives or those operating as disguised enterprises.

Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Bao - Chairman of Vietnam Cooperative Alliance awarded Certificates of Merit to collectives and individuals. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Closely coordinate with localities, departments and branches, act as a strong bridge between cooperatives and functional agencies to propagate, mobilize, remove difficulties, help, guide and support cooperatives in the process of operation; perform well the function of representing and protecting the rights and legitimate interests of members.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit of the Provincial People's Committee to collectives and individuals. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The Congress focused on discussing and approving the Resolution of the 6th Congress of the Nghe An Provincial Cooperative Alliance, term 2020-2025. Electing the Executive Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Cooperative Alliance, term 6, consisting of 42 comrades; electing the Standing Committee, Chairman, Vice Chairmen and electing the delegation to attend the 6th Congress of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance.

On this occasion, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung presented a banner from the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee to the Nghe An Cooperative Alliance. 8 collectives and 5 individuals were awarded Certificates of Merit by the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance. The Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to 14 collectives and 6 individuals.