Boosting the potential of OCOP products in Nghe An.

Giving traditional products a "new look".

In a spacious courtyard with nearly 70 neatly arranged, fragrant jars of soy sauce, Ms. Bui Thi Ha (born in 1967) from Hamlet 4, Kim Lien Commune, said that each jar contains about 100 liters. On average, her facility sells 70 jars of soy sauce to the market each year, approximately 7,000 liters. Holding the attractively labeled bottles of soy sauce, Ms. Ha said that her family's soy sauce product has achieved OCOP 3-star certification.

According to Ms. Ha, making soy sauce has been a part of her life since childhood, but it was only for self-sufficiency for her family. In 2019, she started making her first batches of commercial soy sauce to sell. Unexpectedly, every batch sold out quickly, with many acquaintances and tourists visiting Kim Lien buying it to support her business.

Recognizing the product's potential, Nam Giang commune (now Kim Lien commune) encouraged her to participate in the OCOP program. With the support of commune officials in preparing the necessary documents and information, she boldly upgraded the quality and design criteria of her product to meet the evaluation criteria and participate in the ranking process as prescribed.

The joy came in 2021 when her family's "Ha Chung Delicious Soy Sauce" officially achieved OCOP 3-star status. Since then, the product has been featured at many fairs, provincial exhibitions, and tourist destinations, helping the brand become increasingly well-known.

The key to the product's success in the market is that, in addition to preserving traditional recipes, Ms. Ha boldly applies modern machinery to the roasting, grinding, and filtering processes, ensuring both the distinctive flavor and improving quality and consistency. The bottling and labeling processes have also received more attention. As a result, what was once a product only for her family has been widely accepted by the market, not only within the province but also spreading to many northern provinces and cities at a stable price.

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Currently, Kim Lien commune has 31 OCOP products that have achieved 3 to 4 stars. A notable common feature is that OCOP producers have boldly applied scientific and technological advancements to every stage of production, from establishing raw material areas, processing, and preserving to perfecting product designs.

With approximately 2.5 million tourists visiting annually, the local OCOP products are widely consumed, helping to bring local specialties closer to tourists both within and outside the province.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duc - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Kim Lien Commune Party Committee

The "rejuvenation" of traditional products is also clearly evident in many OCOP products from Nghe An. Even more encouraging is that OCOP producers have successfully established clean raw material areas for their production models. A prime example is Van Phan fish sauce (Dien Chau), which has secured a clean anchovy raw material area, combining traditional fermentation methods with modern technology. The product has been recognized as a 4-star OCOP product and is currently being promoted for export, opening up new avenues for the local traditional specialties.

The province also boasts many OCOP products that are increasingly receiving systematic investment and expanding their consumer markets, such as Shan Tuyet tea, Que Phong golden flower tea, Nam Dan veal sausage, Minh Sang tea, Uncle Ho's hometown lotus tea, Phu Quy medicinal herbs, Duc Phong rattan and bamboo weaving, Kim Nhan oranges, etc., contributing to enriching Nghe An's specialty map and creating attraction for markets inside and outside the province.

Using science and technology as a springboard for further progress.

In the context of high-tech agricultural economic development in Nghe An province, Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company has made its mark as a pioneer, gradually asserting its position in the field of medicinal herb production and trading. After 9 years of operation, the company owns 15 OCOP products, establishing a stable foothold in the market. According to Mr. Phan Xuan Dien – Chairman of the Board of Directors, the core factor behind this success is the persistent application of science and technology throughout the entire production chain.

From the very beginning, the company has both taken advantage of government support policies and proactively mobilized resources to invest in modern production lines and equipment. The entire process, from planting, caring for, harvesting to processing, concentrating, and packaging, is carried out in a closed, synchronized system, ensuring strict quality control and preserving the natural medicinal properties of the raw materials.

Along with a stable source of raw materials, the company has also invested in over 4,000m² of factory space and a modern machinery system that meets GACP, HACCP, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 22000:2018 standards. Not stopping at the current 15 OCOP products, Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company is aiming to develop 1-2 5-star OCOP products for export, further affirming its direction of using science and technology as a driving force for further growth.

According to Mr. Le Van Luong, Head of the Department of Cooperative Economics and Rural Development of Nghe An province, Looking at the province as a whole, many OCOP products have established their position in the market thanks to the application of science and technology throughout the entire value chain. Typical examples include ATC Investment and Production Joint Stock Company, Sen Que Bac Agricultural Cooperative, Dong Tam General Agricultural Service Cooperative, Mom Beauty Production & Trading Company Limited, BOMETA Group Joint Stock Company, and Spirulina algae in Quynh Anh commune, all of which are produced in a closed system using modern biotechnology, meeting food safety standards and having significant export potential.

Furthermore, keeping pace with the new trends of modern consumers, many products with beautiful, sophisticated, and unique designs, leveraging the advantages of local resources combined with the application of science and technology, are increasingly being developed. Typical examples include products from Duc Phong Co., Ltd., Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company, Bien Quynh Joint Stock Company, ATC Investment and Production Joint Stock Company, Sen Que Bac Agricultural Cooperative, Dong Tam General Agricultural Service Cooperative, Mom Beauty Production & Trading Co., Ltd., BOMETA Group Joint Stock Company, etc.

To enhance the value of key local agricultural products, Nghe An province consistently creates favorable conditions, provides support, and encourages OCOP (One Commune One Product) entities to promote the application of science and technology in all stages of production and business. The local government has implemented numerous support policies regarding brand building, trade promotion, product advertising, connecting farmers with managers and scientists, and providing loan support for factory construction and technology investment.

The Department of Science and Technology is strengthening its efforts to apply science and technology to OCOP products. This includes focusing on guiding units, organizations, and individuals on product labeling, registration of codes and barcodes; product traceability; establishing and enforcing intellectual property rights; and supporting the transfer and application of science and technology in production…

It is evident that promoting the application of science and technology in the OCOP program not only contributes to improving product quality and increasing its value but also expands opportunities for Nghe An's agricultural products to reach further in domestic and international markets. This is a crucial foundation for the province's OCOP products to establish their brand, enhance competitiveness, and create momentum for sustainable economic development.