Cooperatives keep up with the digital market

To help cooperatives optimize production and business processes as well as competitiveness in the digital age, the Can Tho City Cooperative Alliance has coordinated with functional units and sectors to support cooperatives in accessing and applying digital technology to all activities. Thereby, many cooperatives have applied business management software, combined with expanding sales channels on digital platforms, gradually increasing competitive advantages in the new context.

ODA High-Tech Cooperative applies digital platforms to promote and introduce freeze-dried cordyceps fiber products with 4-star OCOP certification to customers.

According to the Can Tho City Cooperative Alliance, the city currently has 882 cooperatives operating in a variety of industries and fields, and most cooperatives are equipped with computers, printers, scanners, etc. to meet the requirements for tax declaration and settlement, digital signature application, and electronic invoice use. However, in order for cooperatives not to be left out of the digital transformation wave in the digitalization process, the City Cooperative Alliance has been coordinating with relevant departments, branches, and units to promote propaganda work, combine opening training courses on digital technology application in management, production and business operations for cooperative management staff; organize specialized seminars, study tours, and exchange experiences from successful digital transformation cooperative models in and outside the city, etc.

Along with that, the City Cooperative Union also established the Can Tho Cooperative Zalo group to connect hundreds of cooperatives, businesses, and key establishments for purchasing goods and agricultural products to conduct buying and selling transactions as well as exchange information on support programs for the collective economic sector and cooperatives. At the same time, support cooperatives producing goods and agricultural products that have been certified by the One Commune One Product Program (OCOP), VietGAP, Global GAP to participate in e-commerce platforms such as Postmart, Voso, Shopee... Thanks to that, many cooperatives have kept up with the digital market, connected with units providing electronic payment services, transporting goods, and increasing sales efficiency on digital platforms.

Currently, Can Tho City has many cooperatives in the trade and service sector that have flexibly kept up with the digital market, increasing the promotion and marketing of goods and products on digital platforms. Notably, Can Tho Green Agricultural Products Cooperative, in Thot Not Ward, not only does a good job of organizing and linking with cooperatives and farmers producing safe agricultural products inside and outside the city, but also applies accounting management software and connects sales through digital platforms such as Facebook, Zalo... to promote and introduce OCOP products and available safe agricultural products of the cooperative.

Ms. Nguyen Minh Thuy Tran, Director of Can Tho Green Agricultural Products Cooperative, said: "In addition to organizing direct sales at the store, the Cooperative also increases the use of Facebook to update prices and quality of new vegetables and fruits, especially seasonal fruits to customers; at the same time, the Cooperative also takes advantage of the Zalo channel to interact, care for and advise customers." According to Ms. Tran, thanks to the diverse application of digital platforms in business activities, the Cooperative is increasingly accessible to customers, the number of orders transacted through online channels has increased by over 60% compared to before, helping the Cooperative increase business efficiency in the new situation.

ODA High-Tech Cooperative, An Binh Ward, not only pioneers in applying high technology to production, but also flexibly applies popular digital platforms such as Facebook, Shopee, TikTok... to business activities. Mr. Pham Ngoc Da, Director of ODA High-Tech Cooperative, said: "To enhance the brand value of products, the Cooperative continuously invests in deep processing technology in the production of cordyceps products, ensuring high nutritional value and quality standards. Among them, the freeze-dried cordyceps product has been certified with 4-star OCOP at the city level and is in the top 100 typical products of the collective economic sector and cooperatives nationwide. Not only that, the Cooperative also creates QR codes to stick on the products so that customers can grasp the process, from planting, caring, to packaging finished products and bringing cordyceps to market". According to Mr. Da, currently the Cooperative's cordyceps products are well appreciated by customers for both quality and appearance and are available at many stores and agents in Ho Chi Minh City and some provinces in the Mekong Delta.

The application of high technology in production, digital technology in management and market connection has helped cooperatives improve business efficiency. However, in order for cooperatives to break through and keep up with the digital era, sectors and levels need to provide additional support to cooperatives, such as increasing training to improve knowledge and practical skills in creating accounts and planning sales, promoting products on digital platforms and e-commerce platforms. At the same time, pay attention to implementing support policies, attracting human resources, especially staff with high IT qualifications to work in cooperatives, helping cooperatives have conditions to apply e-commerce in promoting, promoting trade and consuming products... Thereby, further motivating cooperatives to increase investment in digital technology in the management and operation of production activities, contributing to the formation of cooperative models of production associated with consumption through digital platforms.

Article and photos: MY HOA

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/hop-tac-xa-bat-nhip-thi-truong-so-a190382.html