Bac Ninh: Bringing OCOP products far and wide

BAC NINH - With many practical support policies, the "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) Program has become a "launching pad" to help local products of Bac Ninh reach further, affirming their brands in domestic and foreign markets. Many agricultural products and traditional craft villages have been improved in both quality and quantity, expanding their consumption markets.

Many support policies

To develop and improve the quality of OCOP products, Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces (formerly) have proactively developed policies to support funding for OCOP products and integrated support policies for subjects such as: Machinery and equipment, packaging printing, labels, intellectual property, trade promotion... Notably, Resolution No. 67/2023/NQ-HDND dated December 13, 2023 of the People's Council of Bac Giang province stipulates policies to encourage the development of OCOP products in Bac Giang province, period 2024 - 2025; Resolution No. 16/2024/NQ-HDND dated December 11, 2024 of the People's Council of Bac Ninh province promulgated regulations on support for agricultural development, OCOP program, rural industries and new rural construction in Bac Ninh province.

Packaging PTK stewed shrimp paste with meat products at PTK 879 Vietnam Limited Liability Company (Tien Du commune).

Accessing support policies, many households, cooperatives and businesses have changed their production thinking, focusing on improving quality as well as design to suit market standards. Many establishments have invested in and applied advanced production processes, achieving international certifications such as ISO 22000:2018, HACCP, VietGAP, GlobalGAP; invested in cold drying systems for agricultural products; bottling and bottling lines; high-tech furnaces... The production process is standardized, ensuring food hygiene and safety, minimizing environmental pollution, and product quality and value are therefore significantly improved.

Previously, many Nem Bui production facilities (Ninh Xa ward) still processed by hand and packaged simply. Since participating in the OCOP program, the facilities have invested in machinery, applied food safety and hygiene procedures, printed QR code traceability labels, thereby significantly improving the quality and design of the products. Mr. Le Dang Tuan, owner of Nem Bui Tuan Lien facility, said: “My family's Nem Bui product is recognized as meeting the 4-star OCOP standard at the provincial level, the Department of Intellectual Property granted a Certificate of Trademark Registration, and the Department of Health confirmed that it complies with food safety standards. Participating in the OCOP program not only helps the facility improve quality, but also has the opportunity to promote, introduce, expand the market and build trust with consumers. Currently, Nem Bui is not only consumed in the province but also distributed in many neighboring localities such as: Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen ...”.

As one of the early participants in the OCOP program, up to now, Trai Lam Thuan Huong Noodle Production and Trading Cooperative (Nam Duong commune) has had 4 products meeting 3-star and 4-star provincial standards. The cooperative has constantly diversified its products, invested in greenhouses and coating ovens with ISO22000:2018 certification, and improved modern designs with full information, barcodes, and QR codes for clear traceability. Thanks to that, its noodle products have increasingly affirmed their reputation and gained the trust of domestic and foreign consumers.

According to statistics, up to now, the whole province has 773 OCOP products recognized with 3 stars or more. Of which, 1 product has 5 stars, 114 products have 4 stars and 658 products have 3 stars. The value of the products has increased by about 15% compared to the previous year; contributing to increasing income, improving people's lives and promoting the new rural construction program.

Actively promote products

Along with encouraging and supporting brand building, the province also promotes cooperation to exchange experiences and promote and export OCOP products to provinces and cities at home and abroad. Over the past 5 years, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has supported more than 100 cooperatives and enterprises with about 350 products to participate in 19 major fairs, exhibitions and festivals in key provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Can Tho... At the same time, through important events such as: Vietnam - Korea Meeting, Harla International Conference, SEA Games 31... hundreds of handbooks and thousands of leaflets introducing Bac Ninh OCOP products have been given to partners and tourists at home and abroad.

In particular, the province also cooperates with retail corporations and supermarket systems such as Winmart, Big C, Co.opmart, Dabaco, Go!... to put OCOP products on shelves, and at the same time supports connections with e-commerce platforms such as Voso, Postmart, Lazada, Shopee, keeping up with the digital transformation trend. Thanks to that, agricultural products and local specialties are consumed stably, expanding the market in the long term, many OCOP products not only sell well domestically but are also exported to the US, Japan, Korea, EU..., affirming their value and competitiveness when invested in the right direction.

Luc Son Agricultural Service Cooperative specializes in producing longan according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, with an output of about 500 tons/year. The product has been granted a growing area code and recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as meeting 3-star OCOP standards, so it is easy to consume. Mr. Tong Van Binh, Director of the Cooperative, said: "Participating in the OCOP Program helps Luc Son longan to improve traceability, labels, packaging, and promotion on e-commerce platforms, thereby expanding the market and making it known to many customers inside and outside the province. Currently, in addition to the domestic market, Luc Son longan has been exported to Australia."

PTK 879 Vietnam Limited Liability Company (Tien Du Commune) currently has 4 4-star OCOP products at the provincial level and is striving to achieve 5-star standards at the national level. To achieve this goal, the Company has invested in modern machinery, built a closed production process, registered the exclusive trademark "PTK Shrimp Paste with Meat", and focused on improving quality and expanding the market. Thanks to that, the products are increasingly delicious, with eye-catching packaging and designs, consumed at nearly 300 retail points in Hanoi, Dabaco supermarket system, Winmart, Co.opmart... and exported to dozens of countries such as: USA, Australia, Canada, China, Singapore, Japan.

Like Luc Son longan, products such as stewed shrimp paste with meat, stir-fried meat with shrimp paste, dried buffalo, and PTK dried pork have a large consumer market. Thanks to the OCOP Program, many typical products of the province have reached far and wide at home and abroad. Typically, Luc Ngan lychee is not only sold fresh but also processed into juice, dried, frozen, and exported to Japan and the EU; processed fruit and vegetable products (sweet corn, soybeans, okra, frozen fruit, canned juice, etc.) are available in Japan, the EU, and Australia; vinegar products of Ngan Giang Company are exported to China and the Czech Republic; Dong Ho paintings and Phu Lang pottery with luxurious packaging have become souvenirs favored by international visitors...

It can be affirmed that the initiative in building and implementing support policies has become an important driving force to help OCOP products improve quality and affirm their brands. With the right orientation and the support of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the OCOP Program will continue to bring local products to the world, making practical contributions to the socio-economic development of the province.

Article and photos: Mai Phuong

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/bac-ninh-dua-san-pham-ocop-vuon-xa-postid428178.bbg