Developing OCOP products from cooperatives

Thanks to the OCOP recognition, melons of Thuan My Agricultural Cooperative (Thuan My Commune, Chau Thanh District) are increasingly well-known and trusted by many consumers

Positive signals

According to the Department of Rural Development and Irrigation of the province, since its implementation, the OCOP program has received the attention of many cooperatives in the province. Many products of cooperatives have been recognized as meeting OCOP standards of 3 stars or higher. Many high-quality products, linked in the value chain associated with product consumption, help meet market demand, create many jobs, increase income for people, effectively serving the National Target Program on new rural construction in the locality.

Muoi Hai Safe Vegetable Cooperative (Long Khe Commune, Can Duoc District) is one of the cooperatives in the province that pioneered in developing products meeting OCOP standards. Accordingly, the green mustard products of the cooperative have achieved the 4-star OCOP standard, which not only affirms and enhances the green mustard brand of the cooperative but also increases the prestige and strengthens the trust of consumers in other vegetables produced by the cooperative.

According to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director of Muoi Hai Safe Vegetable Cooperative - Le Van Giay, the unit is currently completing the documents to re-recognize the 4-star OCOP product for green mustard products, building and developing other vegetables such as sweet mustard, green onions, etc meeting OCOP standards. In the coming time, the cooperative will strive to complete the production process to propose the recognition of OCOP products for these vegetables.

Workers of Phuoc Hiep Safe Vegetable Cooperative (Long Khe commune, Can Duoc district) process vegetables before delivering to customers

In Can Giuoc district, in addition to developing leafy vegetable products, Phuoc Hiep Safe Vegetable Cooperative (Trong hamlet, Phuoc Hau commune) also actively participates in building OCOP products. Up to now, the Cooperative has 5 3-star OCOP products including: green onions, green mustard, sweet cabbage, watercress, and malabar spinach.

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director of Phuoc Hiep Safe Vegetable Cooperative - Tran Thanh Minh said that being recognized as OCOP helps the cooperative's products increase their reputation in the market and is also an opportunity to expand cooperation and link consumption. Currently, in addition to improving the quality and packaging design of products, the cooperative also regularly participates in trade fairs inside and outside the province to promote and introduce products.

Tan Thanh District is a locality in the Dong Thap Muoi region of the province with strengths in rice and lotus. The Steering Committee for OCOP Program of the district has developed a plan for communes and towns. The initial results have had a positive impact on agricultural production, gradually affirming the brand of the district's agricultural products in the market.

Up to now, the whole district has developed 8 3-star OCOP products. Of which, 3 products are from cooperatives including: Hai Nhon lotus powder and Hai Nhon lotus heart tea of ​​Hai Nhon Lotus Agricultural Service Cooperative (Nhon Hoa commune) and Tan Thanh ST25 clean rice product of Tan Thinh Production, Trade and Service Cooperative (Nhon Hoa Lap commune).

Hai Nhon lotus heart tea product of Hai Nhon Sen Agricultural Service Cooperative (Nhon Hoa commune, Tan Thanh district) is recognized as a 3-star OCOP product

Director of Hai Nhon Lotus Agricultural Service Cooperative - Ngo Thi My Dung informed: Previously, local people mainly grew lotus for seed-pod and sold them to traders in Dong Thap province, so it was quite unstable. Therefore, we established a cooperative to bring local lotus products to the market. Currently, the cooperative has 15 members, with 30 hectares of lotus.

"The strength of the cooperative is products processed from lotus. The cooperative has 2 products, lotus powder and lotus heart tea, which have been recognized as 3-star OCOP products. Currently, the cooperative is developing 2 more products, lotus seed strings and lotus seed tea, to be recognized as OCOP products in the near future," Ms. Ngo Thi My Dung added.

The need to promote OCOP program

Currently, the province has 231 OCOP products; of which, there are 47 4-star and 184 3-star OCOP products. However, the units that have been certified for OCOP products in the province are mostly enterprises and family businesses, the number of cooperatives with OCOP products is very small. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province currently has more than 300 cooperatives operating but only 13 cooperatives have OCOP products. This number is really too small compared to the current potential of the province.

According to many cooperatives, the development of OCOP products is facing some difficulties. Specifically, in the process of implementing the OCOP program, cooperatives must expand production, change technology, have value chain linkages and large capital. However, most cooperatives are currently small-scale, access to credit capital, value chain linkages, and most importantly, their products still face output difficulties.

On the other hand, although the province's cooperative products are very diverse in terms of variety, quantity, and quality, cooperatives have not paid attention to design, labeling, packaging, and necessary certificates such as food safety, traceability, intellectual property, etc. Therefore, most cooperative products have not met market demand, and their competitiveness in the market is still low.

Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development - Nguyen Thanh Truyen said that cooperatives in the province still have a lot of untapped potential; many cooperatives have small production scale, weak internal capacity, limited ability to develop production and business, and have not boldly expanded their production, diversified products in accordance with local advantages and market mechanisms; many cooperatives have not yet built brands for their key products, most of which are unprocessed raw products; etc.

The provincial departments and branches regularly create conditions for the province's OCOP products to participate in trade fairs in and outside the province

“To improve this situation, in the coming time, the department will focus on coordinating with relevant departments, branches, and localities to support cooperatives in identifying key products, aiming at production linked to the market, especially focusing on building brands, labels, geographical indications, and traceability for products. Particularly for cooperatives that already have OCOP products, the department will create conditions for them to participate in trade promotion activities, exhibition fairs, connecting supply and demand of OCOP products inside and outside the province, etc. In addition, the department will promote training, develop OCOP products, put OCOP products on e-commerce platforms, support cooperatives in accessing capital to invest in machinery and production equipment, improve product quality, etc.”- Mr. Nguyen Thanh Truyen added./.

By Minh Tue - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/phat-trien-san-pham-ocop-tu-cac-hop-tac-xa-a185174.html