Enhancing the competitiveness of OCOP products from local factors

Leaders of the Provincial New Rural Development Program Coordination Office inspected the development of raw material areas associated with processing OCOP products, which are cellophane noodles, in Ngoc Lien commune (Ngoc Lac) by the end of 2024.

According to Mr. Bui Cong Anh, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Provincial New Rural Development Program Coordination: “ Thanh Hoa province has a large area, a large population, including plains, coastal areas, midlands and mountainous areas, so it has the potential to develop a variety of OCOP products. The plain areas have the potential to develop OCOP products from fresh tubers and fruits such as: cantaloupe, melon, watermelon; develop processed products such as: sour sausage, grilled sausage; herbal teas, pennywort; rice, rice vermicelli, rice cakes... Coastal areas have a lot of potential to develop OCOP products from aquatic and seafood products such as shrimp, fish, squid, dried mussels, shrimp paste, shrimp paste, fish sauce, crab paste, ground crab. The midlands and mountainous areas have the potential to develop OCOP products such as: dried bamboo shoots, tube spring rolls, smoked buffalo meat, rice wine, honey, dong vermicelli, upland sticky rice, handicrafts from bamboo, bamboo, rattan and herbal products. That It is the local resource, the advantage for products to increase competitiveness in the market".

Currently, hundreds of OCOP products are exploiting the advantages of local raw materials, associated with geographical indications and collective brands, such as: Nga Son sedge, Luan Van grapefruit, Xuan Lap leaf-shaped cake; Tu Tru gai cake (Tho Xuan); Ba Lang fish sauce (Nghi Son town); Van Du orange (Thach Thanh); Phu Quang lam tea (Vinh Loc); Lang Ai soy sauce (Yen Dinh)... Since then, the subjects and localities have maintained and sustainably developed indigenous products, typical of the region. At the same time, through OCOP products associated with geographical indications and collective brands, to promote and introduce Thanh culture and cuisine to a large number of domestic and foreign consumers.

Raw material areas with indigenous crops are one of the great advantages for developing and improving the quality of OCOP products. For Thang Long commune as well as the whole Nong Cong district, rice is the advantageous product. The rice vermicelli production in Thang Long commune is growing stronger and stronger, this OCOP product has been present in the supply chains to dozens of provinces and cities in the country. OCOP products such as cassava vermicelli in Cam Lien commune (Cam Thuy) also develop a widespread market thanks to the cassava raw material area on this fertile hill area being continuously expanded. The vast sea is also the place that provides raw materials for the production of dozens of OCOP products such as fish sauce, shrimp paste and seafood of Nghi Son town. Since then, many products such as Tuyen Hoa fish sauce, Tac Huy fish sauce and shrimp paste... have been regularly used by many domestic customers.

From the successful construction of sustainable raw material areas, many OCOP products are produced on a large scale and continuously, building a production chain such as: Tien Son Ha Linh Glutinous Rice with Areca Nuts, bamboo and rattan products of BambooVina Production and Trading Company Limited - Ha Trung district...

Not only competing domestically, many OCOP products of Thanh Hoa have reached foreign markets. Aquatic and seafood products such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, dried mussels, squid rolls, sea fish, dried clams have been exported to the markets of the United States, Japan, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, South Africa, China, Middle Eastern countries, and European countries. Handicraft products with sedge products have been exported to the United States, China, Europe, and the Middle East; bamboo and wood products have been exported to European and American markets. Agricultural products such as pineapples, sweet corn, baby melons, and potatoes have been exported to France, Belgium, Canada, Russia, Korea, and Australia...

In order for OCOP products to have the advantage of local characteristics to develop the market, over the past years, the Provincial New Rural Development Program Coordination Office together with departments, branches and sectors have advised on organizing many promotion campaigns, introducing OCOP products at supermarkets and dozens of provinces and cities in the country for OCOP products. "In 2024 alone, the unit and related sectors have successfully organized a Market to display, introduce and promote OCOP products and Thanh cuisine in 2024; a Fair to connect supply and demand and display and introduce OCOP products, safe agricultural and food products in 2024; organized a livestream session to introduce Thanh Hoa OCOP products; edited and published a catalog and a Newsletter on production, market and consumption of OCOP products to introduce and promote provincial OCOP products; promoted on the website and OCOP fanpage to reach over 700,000 viewers inside and outside the province" - Mr. Bui Cong Anh informed. In addition, promoting the application of information technology and digital transformation in OCOP product communication is also of interest through organizing training courses, coaching and supporting video production and brand building for OCOP entities to promote on digital platforms and social networks.

The Provincial New Rural Development Program Coordination Office also encourages and supports entities in consulting on product idea development; learning about the scoring criteria, how to implement and operate the OCOP Program; building business plans; supporting packaging design. At the same time, guiding the development of product stories in the direction of linking with cultural factors, indigenous resources, regional characteristics... to create attractiveness, helping products increase competitiveness in the market.

Source: baothanhhoa.vn/nang-suc-canh-tranh-san-pham-nbsp-ocop-tu-yeu-to-ban-dia-239089.htm