Bustling highland market
The months leading up to the Lunar New Year are an opportunity for farmers and agricultural product and OCOP (One Commune One Product) producers and businesses to promote and market their products. In mountainous areas, one of the effective sales channels is organizing agricultural product markets and green markets.
Effective channels for agricultural product distribution.
In mid-December 2024, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, the owner of a production and business facility in Do Luong district with more than 7 products recognized as meeting OCOP standards, was busy with her schedule participating in trade fairs.
“We just completed a three-day product promotion trip to the Tan Lac town fair in Quy Chau district. While retail sales weren't as high as at the fair in Vinh City, we received a significant wholesale order. Furthermore, participating in the fair sparked many useful new production ideas,” shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang.
At the Tan Lac market fair held at the end of December 2024, Ms. Luong Thi Hoa, along with her daughter and granddaughter from Ke Le village, Chau Hoi commune, arrived early. Ms. Hoa said that market fairs are rare in Quy Chau district, only organized near Tet (Lunar New Year), and not every year there is a market fair at a location close to her home like this year.
Therefore, knowing about the fair, she made sure to go early, enjoying and shopping for familiar specialties from her hometown of Quy Chau, as well as buying products brought from other localities. And at the Tan Lac market, she chose to buy homemade cosmetics made from rural ingredients from stalls in Anh Son, Do Luong, and Ky Son districts, such as herbal shampoo, organic soap, various herbal teas, and even facial cleansers for beautiful skin…
"They're often sold in markets and shops, but I don't know their origin. Buying products at fairs organized by the government is much safer," added Mrs. Hoa.
The Tan Lac Market Fair took place in late December 2024. This event was organized by the Provincial Cooperative Union in coordination with the District People's Committee. The fair featured 25 stalls from production and business establishments in Quy Chau district and other districts, cities, and towns in the province, showcasing over 100 distinctive and typical products, including valuable OCOP branded products from various localities.
Not only in Quy Chau district, but most highland districts organize markets at the end of the year to stimulate consumer spending. For example, Ky Son district has the Nam Can border market and the Xop Tu market (My Ly). Tuong Duong district has the Nga My market and the Nhon Mai market. In Con Cuong district, there are currently two markets that have been operating for many years, becoming a tradition every time Tet (Lunar New Year) comes around. These are the Muong Qua market in Mon Son commune and the Muong Chon market in Binh Chuan commune.
The Muong Chon market is held in Binh Chuan commune, at the intersection of communes on the left bank of the Lam River in Con Cuong district with some communes from Quy Hop and Tuong Duong districts. Therefore, whenever the market takes place, the number of participants is particularly large, along with a large quantity of goods and agricultural products brought and sold.
Mr. Nguyen Ba Chau, Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union, said that the local market fair is an activity organized by the Provincial Cooperative Union in coordination with localities to support people in connecting and selling agricultural products, especially OCOP-certified products, to serve the Tet market. These market fairs in localities also support the "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods" campaign, promote trade, connect supply and demand in the collective and cooperative economic sectors, and contribute to building new rural areas in many districts, cities, and towns.
Promoting tourism and services through local markets.
Fairs and markets in mountainous areas not only promote market connections and agricultural product consumption, but practical experience shows they also boost tourism, services, and promote regional cultural identity. For example, at the recent Nam Can border market (Ky Son district), in addition to wholesale trading of agricultural products and culinary services reflecting the cultures of Vietnam and Laos, there were also demonstrations of brocade weaving and traditional cake making.
Ms. Vu Y Khan, from Truong Son village, Nam Can commune, has been trading agricultural products and brocade at the Nam Can border market for many years. According to her, the market has recently seen many new activities: the authorities on both sides have organized additional activities such as hands-on experiences in embroidery and traditional sticky rice cake making of the Mong people, and brocade weaving of the Thai people, bringing much enjoyment to locals and tourists. Thanks to these additional activities, the market attracts more visitors, helping traders and farmers sell more agricultural products.
Combining the promotion of agricultural products at fairs and markets with traditional cultural experiences is a key direction in the economic development linked to community tourism in Ky Son district. This is especially true for community tourism destinations along the Huoi Tu, My Ly, Muong Long, and Nam Can routes, which the district's Tourism Development Project has been implementing since 2022.
The distinctive agricultural products and OCOP (One Commune One Product) goods are also the products introduced and sold at community tourism destinations, creating a highlight for tourists visiting Ky Son district. In 2024, Ky Son district had more than 3,600 tourists entering and leaving the area, generating revenue of over 2.1 billion VND from food and beverage services, accommodation, and shopping for products, mainly agricultural products and handicrafts of local people.
In the Provincial People's Committee's Plan No. 271/KH-UBND for 2024, aimed at implementing the Prime Minister's Directive 08/CT-TTg on comprehensive, rapid, and sustainable tourism development, it was clearly stated that localities, agencies, and relevant units must proactively and strongly innovate the content and methods of tourism promotion and advertising; focusing on developing and exploiting market segments based on specialized products in which Nghe An has strengths. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was tasked with integrating tourism development content into the province's plan for implementing the "National Target Program for New Rural Development and the OCOP Program".
Currently, many highland localities are encouraging the development of green fairs and markets; thereby stimulating production and consumption, and supporting the development of tourism and services, especially during the Lunar New Year season.