Da Nang’s Lien Chieu District has six locally-made products recognised for meeting standards under the 'One Commune-One Product’ programme. They are Binh Minh, Huong Lang Co and Nam O - Hiep Hai fish sauce, Dinh Lang - Da Tuu wine, Mrs. Nam ‘tre’ (a kind of fermented pork) and cinnamon products produced by the Huong Que Production-Processing-Import Export Trading Company. In 2023, the district plans to have 2-3 new products recognised as OCOP products.

Thanks to active support from functional sectors, many OCOP production facilities based Lien Chieu District have many opportunities to participate in fairs to introduce their products to consumers. Photo: KHANH HOA

After being recognised by the municipal People's Committee as 4-star OCOP in 2020, Binh Minh fish sauce products are widely known and consumed.

Director of the Binh Minh Fish Sauce Cooperative Nguyen Viet Dung said the cooperative will invest in some equipment and labels in a bid to enhance the quality of products in the near future.

The Nam O fish sauce making village which has a proud history covering hundreds of years is now home to 64 members. Of this, 10 fish sauce making establishments are relatively large scale, 17 ones have registered their own brands, and the rest of the households do seasonal work. Since 2020, the average consumption of fish sauce has reached 250,000 liters per year.

Apart from fish sauce, there are a number of other products produced in the village such as ‘mam ruoc’ (fermented shrimp paste), short-term fish sauce, and dried fish of all kinds, with an average of 25-30 tonnes per year, earning over VND5 billion in revenue per year, and creating jobs for 220 locals.

Currently, the Nam O fish sauce brand has registered its logo and collective label at the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam, and Nam O fish sauce was recognised by the municipal People's Committee as a typical agricultural product in 2016.

Up to now, three fish sauce brands of the Nam O fish sauce making village have been recognised as municipal-level OCOP products: Binh Minh, Huong Lang Co and Nam O - Hiep Hai fish sauce.

Established in 2014 and recognised as a 3-star OCOP product in 2021, Mrs. Nam's ‘tre’ is a main supply source for many supermarkets, shops, and restaurants in the city and some other provinces and cities nationwide.

Processed from the skillful hands of family members, the product with sour, spicy, salty and sweet characteristics are suitable for the culinary taste of people in Central Viet Nam.

Mr. Le Sau, the owner of the Mrs. Nam ‘tre’ making facility in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward, said that in the coming time, he will continue to invest in facilities, improve quality and ensure food safety.

Crystallised from the enthusiasm and efforts of employees, with the main source of raw materials being local specialties, OCOP-accredited products in Lien Chieu District have affirmed their footholds in the market. This has created more motivation for businesses and production facilities to expand their scale and raise their brand profile, thereby contributing to promoting the local economic development.

Over the past time, the People's Committee of Lien Chieu District has always paid attention to supporting the development of the Nam O fish sauce brand. Specifically, VND150 million from the district budget has been poured into supporting fish sauce making households to buy jars, and installing advertising signs.

Also, the district authorities have proposed the municipal government to support machinery and equipment for the village’s members from local industrial promotion fund with a total budget of VND286 million.

Great efforts have been made to provide financial support for 1 - 2 facilities registering for OCOP assessment and ranking, as well as facilitate production facilities to participate in fairs to promote trade connections and boost consumption of OCOP products.

In order to stimulate demand for OCOP products in the Nam O fish sauce making village, Secretary of the Lien Chieu District Party Committee Nguyen Ha Bac said that he will continue to support the development and expansion of the supply and demand market through fairs and connect with businesses and localities.

Importance will be attached to promoting brand building and marketing campaigns on mass media, creating an electronic information page about Nam O Fish Sauce Village, and developing geographical indications for Nam O fish sauce products.

Currently, the People's Committee of Lien Chieu District is planning to build a gallery, a craft museum, a craft village and a performance area for artisans and fish sauce making households. The locality continues to support the introduction of the village’s products at tourist attractions, inland waterway wharfs and commercial centers in the district.

Reporting by KHANH HOA - Translating by M.DUNG