Developing and upgrading OCOP products.

Branding

Visiting the dried fruit processing facility in Minh Hop commune (Quy Hop district), I was truly impressed by the willpower and aspirations of Mr. Nguyen Son Tin in developing the local economy. He once worked for a South Korean company with a high salary, but he quit to return to his hometown and start his own business producing dried fruit.

Mr. Tin said: "Quỳ Hợp is a famous fruit-growing region, especially known for its Vinh oranges. However, during the harvest season, there's often a paradox: 'good harvest, low prices; high prices, poor harvest.' Therefore, I chose to start my business by purchasing and processing dried fruits, helping local agricultural products find an additional market, increasing their value, and giving farmers peace of mind in their production."

The products that meet the OCOP "3-star" standard are from Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company in Minh Hoa hamlet, Minh Hop commune (Quy Hop district).

From that entrepreneurial idea, in 2021, Mr. Nguyen Son Tin invested billions of VND to build a factory and equip it with machinery to begin operation. In 2021 alone, Mr. Tin's Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company purchased 60 tons of fresh oranges, processing them into dried and freeze-dried orange slices; 40 tons of fresh jackfruit into crispy dried jackfruit; 60 tons of bananas into crispy and freeze-dried bananas; tens of tons of pineapples, and is currently processing them into matcha green tea powder… These products are widely consumed nationwide, distributed in many modern retail stores and supermarkets, creating jobs and income for nearly 30 local workers.

In particular, thanks to promotion on the company's website, fanpage, and various e-commerce platforms, the dried fruit products have become widely known to consumers. Currently, four of the company's products, including dried jackfruit, dried banana, and matcha green tea powder, have achieved 3-star OCOP certification in 2021. According to Mr. Tin, the goal for 2022 is to improve the quality of OCOP products and develop a plan to export to markets in China, Laos, Cambodia, and other countries.

The dried fruit production line of Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company. Photo: TH

Besides OCOP products made from dried fruits, Quy Hop district is also quite famous for its locally produced medicinal herbs. Mr. La Van Duy – Director of Tinh Sang Duong Agricultural and Medicinal Cooperative, Yen Hop commune (Quy Hop) said: “Established in early 2022, the main activity of the cooperative is growing medicinal plants and processing them into finished products to supply to the market. All members have land for growing various medicinal herbs on a large scale, and also have contracts to purchase raw materials from local people.”

Currently, the cooperative has more than 30 products processed from locally grown medicinal plants, such as: freeze-dried centella powder, milk thistle extract, Gymnema sylvestre extract, An Lac Mien extract, Khoi Binh Vi extract, milk thistle tea bags, etc. Among them, milk thistle tea bags, freeze-dried centella powder, and honey are participating in the provincial-level OCOP (One Commune One Product) ranking assessment.

Enhancing the quality of OCOP products.

Over the past two years of implementation, the OCOP Program has received enthusiastic support and active participation from Party committees, authorities at all levels, the entire political system, and the people in Quy Hop district. Communes and towns have implemented the OCOP Program on varying scales, developing and expanding a diverse range of products, showcasing the creativity of the local people.

At the end of 2021, the entire district organized a district-level ranking assessment to participate in the provincial-level ranking assessment conference for 7 products that met the "3-star" standard: Song Dinh green tea, Vinh Tan Thanh oranges, Nghe HT01 tangerines (Jeju tangerines), matcha powder, crispy dried jackfruit, freeze-dried pink bananas and crispy dried bananas, and Hong Luat chicken eggs. All 7 products were recognized as "3-star" by the Provincial People's Committee. After awarding the decisions and certificates to the 7 "3-star" standard products, the district organized the registration of support for brand development and product development for the businesses whose products met the standards in 2021.

Tinh Sang Duong Agricultural and Medicinal Products Cooperative, Yen Hop commune (Quy Hop district), processes medicinal products. Photo: TH

Building on initial success, the Steering Committee for the "One Commune, One Product" Program in Quy Hop district reviewed entities with products recognized by the province as achieving "3 stars" or higher to provide support in accordance with Resolution No. 25/2020/NQ-HĐND of the Provincial People's Council on policies supporting the implementation of the "One Commune, One Product" Program in the province for the period 2021-2025. The district's OCOP Steering Committee selected Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company in Minh Hoa hamlet, Minh Hop commune, which has 3 products recognized as achieving "3 stars" at the provincial level, to receive support for the purchase of machinery and equipment, technology transfer, and the application of scientific and technical advancements to OCOP products, with a total support budget of 300 million VND.

In 2022, building on the achievements of the previous year, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district focused on directing communes and towns to review and register potential products in order to concentrate on developing OCOP products right from the beginning of the year.

Currently, the District People's Committee has conducted an assessment to select potential products of the district and participated in the provincial-level assessment for 8 products that achieved "3 stars" (including Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea bags, freeze-dried Centella asiatica powder, honey from Tinh Sang Duong Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Cooperative, Yen Hop commune; Sinh Nhan clean oranges from Sinh Nhan Cooperative, Nghia Xuan commune; Luat Hong free-range chicken meat from the Agricultural Service Cooperative of the town; handcrafted wooden paintings from Tran Ngoc Huy business household, Tho Hop commune; dried pineapple and dried winter melon products from Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company) and 1 product upgraded to 4 stars (crispy dried jackfruit product from Hasafood Nghe An Joint Stock Company). These are expected to be breakthrough products for Quy Hop district in the future.

Medicinal products are expected to be a breakthrough for Quy Hop district in the near future. Photo: TH

Mr. Quan Vi Giang, Vice Chairman of the Quy Hop District People's Committee, said: “The 'One Commune, One Product' program has been identified as a solution to promote rural economic development, and the locality has achieved outstanding results. In the coming time, the district will continue to strengthen training and propaganda, gradually enhance the brand of products and the potential of OCOP; develop OCOP products associated with building agricultural raw material areas, in the direction of organic production, ensuring food safety; assign the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to advise the District People's Committee to integrate funding sources from various programs and projects, especially funding from the National Target Program for building new rural areas, to support businesses. The support will focus on applying scientific and technical advancements to production, supporting investment in production equipment, building and promoting product brands…”.