Strengthening promotion and finding markets for OCOP products.

Increase the connection between supply and demand.

Nghe An currently has 567 OCOP products rated 3 stars or higher, including 1 product rated 5 stars, 37 products rated 4 stars, and 529 products rated 3 stars.
The province has 110 cooperatives, 59 joint-stock companies and enterprises, 55 cooperative groups, and 122 households producing and trading OCOP products.

However, the consumption of OCOP products is not yet truly sustainable. Many products are entirely dependent on timing and seasonality. For example, many products sell very well near Tet (Lunar New Year), but around the middle of the year, sales become difficult, and inventory accumulates.

In addition, some ingredients are seasonal, leading to situations where there's a shortage of goods when there are many customers, and a surplus when there are few.

Nam Dan soy sauce is a prime example. Due to limited production capacity, businesses are hesitant to expand their market to northern provinces and cannot get their products into supermarkets because they often cannot meet orders. Consequently, the consumption of soy sauce is almost entirely dependent on traders, eateries, and restaurants in the area.

Not only Nam Dan soy sauce but many other OCOP products are also facing difficulties due to a lack of market outlets. Recognizing this need, and based on its assigned tasks, the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion has regularly coordinated with the Centers for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion of other provinces to cooperate, exchange ideas, and organize trade fairs to connect supply and demand.

Many trade fairs in Vinh City have attracted goods from dozens of provinces and cities nationwide, leading to the signing of many valuable contracts for businesses. For example, the Spring Fairs of 2023 and 2024 in Vinh City and Do Luong District showcased and strongly promoted regional specialty products from those districts.

Nghe An has also organized activities to promote and sell its distinctive products and OCOP products in Hanoi, Quang Ninh, and Nghe An; connected with the consumption of products from other provinces such as Lao Cai, Da Nang, and Tien Giang; and organized many Vietnamese goods fairs in Que Phong and Anh Son districts…

According to the report, the annual revenue of OCOP products has increased by approximately 8.0%. To date, 94 out of 562 OCOP products have entered the supply chain system, food stores, department stores, and OCOP product showrooms and sales points. Some agricultural products have found stable export markets, such as: bud tea products have a stable market in West Asian countries; fish sauce products are consumed in Laos, Japan, and South Korea; and some products made from peanuts and rattan have been exported to demanding markets such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the United States, and Japan.

Boosting support for e-commerce

Online trading through digital platforms is becoming increasingly popular. A manufacturing facility would find it difficult to succeed today without participating in e-commerce. This requires e-commerce platforms managed by state agencies to truly innovate, becoming professional promotional channels that help businesses and commercial establishments access the market.

The Provincial People's Council has also passed a resolution supporting the development of websites and e-commerce platforms, and assisting businesses in participating in e-commerce trading platforms. Businesses are also exempt from advertising fees on the trading platforms of the Department of Industry and Trade, the Rural Development Sub-Department, etc.

According to a report from the Department of Industry and Trade, the sector has currently supported nearly 500 businesses and traders in registering for e-commerce platforms to introduce and offer more than 3,700 products and services. Many products such as golden flower tea, Nghe An tea, milk thistle tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea, Gymnema sylvestre tea, herbal rice tea, Van Phan fish sauce, Cua Hoi fish sauce, Dien Chau peeled shrimp, Quynh Luu squid, Cua Lo grilled mackerel, Japonica rice, Ky Son ginger, Mu Tun wine, Puxailaileng ginseng, AC5 rice, Tay Hieu honey, Yen Thanh honey, spirulina, organic vegetables, Nam Anh cassava starch... have participated in e-commerce at various levels and show great potential.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Loi, Director of the Provincial Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, said: In the coming time, Nghe An will organize and participate in trade promotion and linkage programs with provinces and cities nationwide; and take advantage of the support of central agencies and units for national trade programs, especially activities connecting trade between businesses, distributors, and importers both domestically and internationally.

Strengthen support for connecting supply and demand for goods, focusing on exploiting the domestic market; promote communication and guidance to businesses to leverage their advantages to expand export and import markets, diversify partners and sources of goods.

In addition, the province is implementing activities to support the building and development of product brands for businesses, aiming to bring some of the province's typical products, such as OCOP products and science and technology products, with commercial value and consumption in supermarkets and shopping centers inside and outside the province.

The center and relevant departments will also promote the application of information technology and digital transformation in trade promotion activities, such as effectively deploying business support applications and e-commerce websites to introduce and provide key and typical products of Nghe An province; and providing services to support businesses in finding and developing product consumption markets linked to regional cooperation.