Nghi Loc develops OCOP products effectively and sustainably.

Leveraging local advantages

Driven by a desire to prosper in his homeland and a passion for woodworking, in 2010, Nguyen Hong Son (born in 1982), residing in Hamlet 4, Nghi Lam Commune, decided to bring the craft of producing fine wood products to the area. Utilizing the readily available longan wood in the locality, he opened a workshop producing wood and handicraft items such as chopsticks, ladles, spoons, and kitchen utensils.

Mr. Son shared: “Initially, the production workshop faced many difficulties regarding capital and product distribution. However, thanks to the attention of various levels of government and local authorities in creating favorable conditions for leasing land for the workshop, access to loans, and policies from the provincial industrial promotion fund, the facility has received timely support, overcoming difficulties and gradually developing.”

Starting from a small business, Mr. Son has now established Hong Son Production and Trading Company Limited, building a large-scale production facility with a spacious factory area of ​​over 6,000 square meters, creating jobs for nearly 100 workers with an income of 5-7 million VND per person per month. The company's products, such as chopsticks, ladles, spoons, and other kitchen utensils, are very popular in the Korean and Japanese markets; annual exports reach tens of billions of VND.

In 2020, the company's products were honored by the People's Committee of Nghe An province as typical rural industrial products at the provincial level. Recently, the OCOP product evaluation and ranking council of Nghi Loc district conducted an assessment of products registered to participate in the OCOP program in the district, and the Hong Son wooden spoon and ladle set of Hong Son Production and Trading Co., Ltd. achieved 4 stars. This is a good opportunity for the company to continue upgrading its products, diversifying designs, expanding production scale, and creating more jobs for local people.

In Nghi Loc district, Mami Farm Co., Ltd. has focused on producing cereal products sourced from within the commune and surrounding areas, combined with high-quality imported grains. In 2021, immediately after its establishment, the company upgraded its products to convenient packaged forms, adding rock sugar and molasses from Nghe An province, ensuring safety and convenience. Simultaneously, it invested in a modern, closed-loop production line that meets food safety and hygiene standards, employing 7 permanent staff and over 500 collaborators to distribute products nationwide.

With a stable market, the company has become a specialized agricultural product purchasing agent, helping farmers secure stable outlets and generate income for laborers in Nghi My commune. Thanks to these achievements, Mami Farm Co., Ltd. currently has two 4-star rated products: convenient nutritional cereal powder and premium cereal powder. In the future, the company will continue to research and upgrade its products to suit all customers, expand production scale, collaborate with cooperatives to grow standard agricultural products, create jobs for farmers, and ensure a more stable market for agricultural products. The company also strives to make Mami Farm a trusted cereal brand in the Vietnamese market – a source of pride for the homeland – and to export its products abroad.

Developing OCOP products

To effectively implement the OCOP Program in Nghi Loc district for the period 2021-2025, the district has developed an implementation plan and concretized it with Plan No. 128/KH-UBND dated June 25, 2021. Based on this, a district-level OCOP product evaluation and ranking council was established, and the plan was disseminated to all departments, sectors, localities, and units. Simultaneously, functions were added and tasks were assigned to relevant members to implement the OCOP Program.

At the same time, the district has support mechanisms to develop agricultural, non-agricultural, and service products with advantages in each commune and town, as well as encouraging producers to actively participate in the OCOP program; focusing on disseminating, introducing, and promoting OCOP products; supporting OCOP producers in expanding markets and developing production and business activities, such as: supporting 50% of the total cost of purchasing machinery, equipment, technology transfer, and scientific and technical advancements for wooden spoons and ladles from Nghi Lam commune that achieved 4-star OCOP in 2021, amounting to 150 million VND; supporting trademark registration for 7 products that achieved 3-star status in 2022 and supporting traceability codes for 9 communes registering to achieve advanced new rural development in 2022, with a budget of over 173 million VND; supporting the construction of 8 greenhouses, with a total budget of over 2 billion VND; Awards will be given to products that achieve OCOP 3-star rating or higher, with a total budget of 100 million VND.

The OCOP program in Nghi Loc district has spread widely across all 29 communes and towns. To date, 21 products have been ranked as OCOP 3-star or higher. Among them, 7 products – including: Mami Farm's vegetarian nut milk; Vuong Gia cantaloupe from Hoang Phuc Quyen household; Luat Thu pear guava from Nguyen Van Luat household; Toan Phat rattan and bamboo lanterns from Toan Phat Bamboo and Rattan Co., Ltd.; Mami Care x10 lactation supplement from Mami Farm Co., Ltd.; Hung Thanh cantaloupe from Hung Thanh Agricultural Service Cooperative; and green nut milk from Mami Farm Co., Ltd. – were awarded 3-star OCOP status in the second round of 2023 by the Nghi Loc District OCOP Product Evaluation and Ranking Council.

OCOP products have quickly established their position, receiving positive market acceptance, helping businesses continue to expand production scale, increase product value, thereby contributing to economic restructuring, improving people's income and living standards, and effectively implementing the "Economy and Production Organization" criteria group in the national criteria set for new rural communes.

Through the implementation of the OCOP Program, many good models and effective, innovative approaches have been discovered, contributing to improving the quality and value of agricultural products in the district. To gradually develop OCOP products in depth, effectively, and sustainably, creating new momentum for the successful implementation of the advanced and model new rural development programs, Nghi Loc district continues to focus on raising awareness among officials, Party members, and the people about the purpose, meaning, and importance of the OCOP Program to spread it strongly throughout the community.

At the same time, focus on creating favorable conditions for businesses to promote and market their products, prioritizing the expansion of land for production and the construction of OCOP product stalls in convenient locations. Concentrate on evaluating and classifying OCOP products for agricultural products that utilize high technology and undergo deep processing to enhance the value of agricultural products, create jobs, and increase income for workers.

In the coming period, the district will adjust and supplement the Project with 28 new products suitable for the district's current situation; striving to ensure that by 2025, 100% of communes have products participating in the OCOP Program, and the entire district will have at least 42 products ranked 3 stars or higher, with at least 1 product ranked 5 stars. The district will consolidate and strengthen 100% of businesses and cooperatives with products participating in the OCOP Program. Training will be provided to 100% of program managers, leaders of businesses and cooperatives, and registered business owners participating in the OCOP Program. The district will also establish and develop 3-5 points for displaying, introducing, and selling OCOP products throughout the district.

Nguyen Ba Diep - Vice Chairman of Nghi Loc District People's Committee