Classification and evaluation of cooperatives at the grassroots level are not yet substantial and comprehensive.

Vice Chairwomen of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Hoang Viet Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee chaired the meeting. Also attending were Mr. Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Party Inspection Committee, Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council. Photo: Mai Hoa

Up to now, the whole province has 645 cooperatives, of which 470 are in the agricultural sector and 66 are in the industrial and commercial sector. After 5 years of implementing the 2012 Law on Cooperatives, the province has basically completed the reorganization of cooperatives operating in accordance with the law.

According to the leaders of the two departments, the activities of cooperatives have made positive contributions to promoting the implementation of political tasks of each sector, especially creating conditions for job creation and increasing income for members.

In the agricultural sector, the activities of many cooperatives have contributed to transforming the mindset of fragmented, small-scale, self-sufficient production into commodity production, increasing the value of plants and animals; at the same time, organizing linkages in product consumption.

Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Le Hong Vinh said that sectors need to review policies to remove difficulties. Photo: Mai Hoa

However, at the meeting, based on the practical experience gained through monitoring the activities of cooperatives in a number of localities, members of the monitoring delegation of the Provincial People's Council Standing Committee raised many concerns about a number of shortcomings that are arising.

Many opinions say that, in general, the operational efficiency of cooperatives, especially the role of “midwife” of agricultural cooperatives for farmers, is still vague. Some cooperatives, although having converted to operate in the new form of cooperatives, do not operate according to the 2012 Law on Cooperatives.

According to Deputy Chief of Office of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Tat Thanh, the management team of the cooperative is mainly a team of old cooperative officials, over 50 years old, and in many places, the cooperative is the place to arrange redundant staff, greatly affecting the efficiency of cooperative operations.

Regarding the classification of cooperatives, according to Thai Thi An Chung, Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council, Circular No. 09 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on guidelines for classifying and evaluating cooperatives operating in the agricultural sector includes 6 comprehensive criteria, including revenue and results of production and business activities; benefits of cooperative members; operating capital of cooperatives; scale of members positively affecting the community; cooperatives awarded during the year; level of satisfaction of members with cooperatives. However, the assessment at the grassroots level is not substantial and comprehensive.

The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council supervises activities at Song Lam Production and Service Cooperative. Photo: Mai Hoa

Also related to the evaluation of cooperatives, Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Le Hong Vinh said that it is necessary to accurately evaluate and classify cooperatives, on that basis, clearly identify the difficulties and problems of each type of cooperative and have solutions to remove them.

At the same time, the sectors need to review policies to remove difficulties; any steps with cumbersome procedures must be studied and improved to ensure that cooperatives can easily access policies.

Acknowledging many shortcomings in the operation of cooperatives that do not comply with the Law on Cooperatives, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Lap said that there are many causes and responsibilities belong to many sectors and levels.

Especially for the Party Committees, district and commune authorities, the actual assessment is that they only pay attention to the initial stage of transformation and establishment to ensure the criteria in building new rural areas, but have not been closely involved in making cooperatives operate effectively.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Lap admitted that there are still many shortcomings in the operation of cooperatives. Photo: Mai Hoa

Head of the Rural Development Department Le Van Luong also admitted that the evaluation and classification of cooperatives at the grassroots level is based on emotions, not on the criteria of Circular 09.

Regarding the solution to improve the qualifications of the cooperative management team, according to Mr. Luong, this team is mostly old, and has limited access to information and knowledge to improve the efficiency of cooperative operations. The most sustainable solution is to create conditions and mechanisms to attract young people with degrees to participate in this field.

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien requested relevant sectors to review and evaluate mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties and obstacles. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien affirmed the important role of the collective economy in the general economy of the province as well as in implementing the political tasks of the sector.

Based on the functions and tasks of each sector, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the two departments to focus on reviewing and re-evaluating the overall activities of cooperatives, including mechanisms and policies; thereby advising the province on solutions to resolve the shortcomings. Along with that, it is necessary to focus on inspecting and examining cooperative activities to promptly remove and guide difficulties and obstacles.