There are products that are not 'starred' by OCOP but are still popular in the market and sell very well.
(Baonghean.vn) - According to Director of Nghe An Department of Industry and Trade Pham Van Hoa, there are products that do not have stars but are still favored by the market and consumed very well. That shows that the important issue is building and developing the brand of agricultural products.
Concerns about the OCOP product consumption market
Further clarify the content of the question "Implementation of policies to support agricultural development, conversion of crops and livestock, associated with production and consumption of OCOP products in the context of adapting to climate change and market fluctuations. Current situation, causes and solutions in the coming time". Some delegates raised questions with the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade about the issue of registering trademark protection for agricultural products, developing the market for consuming OCOP products.
Delegate Ho Thi Thuy Trang (Hoang Mai Town) asked: The registration for protection of agricultural product brands of Hoang Mai Town in particular and Nghe An in general has not been registered, while people's awareness and knowledge about this issue are still limited, so the risk of losing the brand is very high; how to handle this in the future?
Delegate Tran Thi Khanh Linh (Vinh city) asked: According to the report, currently, some OCOP products have been implemented in the principle of bringing products into some large distribution systems, including Lotte Vinh. However, through actual surveys, the province's OCOP products have not been found on Lotte Vinh's shelves. On the other hand, tourists coming to Nghe An who want to buy local products as gifts are also having difficulty, even local people have difficulty with this issue (the report also stated that many consumers still do not know about OCOP products). What is the responsibility of the competent authority in this issue and what will be the solution in the coming time?
“I would like to request the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade to report further on the effectiveness of the OCOP product display, introduction and sales center. What is the total revenue of the booth in a year, how many agricultural products are sold here? There are opinions that the management of agricultural OCOP products in the area is still limited (uncertified products, fake goods, counterfeit goods, poor quality goods floating on the market) which has affected the reputation, brand, and competitiveness of products on the market. I would like to request you to tell me the current situation of this problem; the existence, limitations, causes and solutions in the coming time? The delegate asked.
Clarifying the content of the delegates' concerns, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Pham Van Hoa affirmed: There has never been a period when the development of the agricultural product market has received as much attention from the Government, ministries, branches and local authorities at all levels as it does now. Recently, the Government has issued a series of decisions, programs and projects, including Decision No. 194/QD-TTg dated February 9, 2021 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Innovation in agricultural product consumption and trading methods for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030".
At the same time, the Government issued Decision No. 386/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister: Approving the Project on Developing the Domestic Market in conjunction with the Campaign "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods" for the period 2021 - 2025; The Government issued Decision 174 on approving the project to promote agricultural products chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In Nghe An, the province has issued specific plans for the Government's Decisions. The Department of Industry and Trade has also incorporated this content into the province's export plan issued under Decision 481; Decision 400 of the Provincial People's Committee on prioritizing the introduction of Nghe An's typical products to e-commerce platforms. To support Nghe An's OCOP products to be put on e-commerce platforms, the Department of Industry and Trade has issued Decision 138.
At the same time, the Industry and Trade sector has coordinated to advise on the development, promulgation and implementation of a number of mechanisms and policies to promote the consumption of agricultural products, including OCOP products such as Resolution 25, Resolution 18 of the Provincial People's Council in 2021; Resolution 32 on mechanisms and policies to support trade development and industrial promotion policies.
In addition, the province has implemented trade support programs very well. In the recent period, in addition to the Trade Support Investment Promotion Center, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Farmers' Association, ... many departments, branches and sectors have participated in supporting trade promotion activities and many trade promotion and export promotion activities have been organized inside and outside the province.
At the same time, the province has developed 17 OCOP product introduction points, a system of display areas, and OCOP product introduction and sales points in the province (of which, 4 points are supported by the State budget, 13 points are self-invested by the subjects). However, the promotion, introduction and dissemination of OCOP products to consumers are not really effective.
In addition, the province promotes digital transformation and e-commerce development, currently supporting 21 districts, cities and towns to have booths on e-commerce platforms.
The Director of the Department of Industry and Trade commented: Regarding the development of the province's agricultural product consumption market in recent times, it has been positive, progressive and effective. "During the Covid-19 pandemic, the province has maintained and supplied and consumed products very well. Agricultural products have entered the export market quite quickly. In the period of 2020-2022, the average export of Nghe An agricultural products increased by 5-10%. Some products have participated in large supply chains, developing the national market, many enterprises, cooperatives, and entities have participated in the supply chain. This shows the innovation of production methods, business, and market development".
Improve quality, build product brand
However, the head of the Industry and Trade sector also said that, besides that, there are still some limitations: Agricultural products in general, OCOP products in particular, mostly participate in the market with limited scale and output; most of them do not meet market requirements, especially the requirements of reputable retail systems and have to compete with many similar products in and outside the province. Agricultural products have not participated much in large supply chains, the main reason is that they have not met the requirements. Participation in the export market is still modest.
Mr. Hoa said that the three main reasons are: Production level and market economy level are still limited; market connection is still difficult; mechanisms and policies are not strong enough.
To bring OCOP products of local people to the national market, the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade proposed 7 groups of solutions.
Accordingly, it is necessary to improve production and business capacity, product quality and brand building. Continue to promote regional linkage development, promote activities to support connection and consumption of OCOP products; build and develop production, business, consumption chains, distributors, manufacturers and cooperatives.
At the same time, continue to research, complete and effectively implement policies, programs, and projects on agricultural and industrial promotion... to support people in applying processes, machinery, equipment, and procedures, improving knowledge and skills in diversified production, improving output, quality, and product designs... to enhance competitiveness in the market, meeting the tastes and demands of consumers.
At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen activities to support trade promotion, export promotion, and product image promotion. Accelerate digital transformation, connect and participate in major domestic and international e-commerce platforms; encourage effective application of information technology, electronic platforms, social networks, etc. to promote and consume products.
According to Mr. Pham Van Hoa, OCOP products are not yet a brand - this is only the basis, the premise for building a product brand. The most important issue is market evaluation, there are products that are not "star" but are still favored by the market and consumed very well. That shows that the important issue is building a brand, developing the brand of agricultural products.