As for the goals of the One Commune - One Product (OCOP) programme for the period 2022-2025, by 2025, Da Nang will have 135 OCOP products labelled with 3 stars or higher. Relevant agencies need to speed up and complete the evaluation and grading of OCOP products, thereby taking advantage of the product’s potential and advantages to develop the OCOP Da Nang’s brand name.

Many trade promotion programmes support entities to promote and introduce OCOP products. Tien Sa bird's nest product, a 4-star OCOP developed by the Tien Sa Bird's Nest Co., Ltd., is promoted at the Da Nang OCOP and typical product promotion programme in 2023. Photo: VAN HOANG

Continue to star OCOP products

At the end of November 2023, the Hai Chau District People’s Committee evaluated, classified, and issued OCOP certificates for 6 products. Among them, Sisters Food yogurt products and Hung Hong beef patties were certified with 3-star OCOP. Freeze-dried whole Cordyceps from the Da Nang Cordyceps Development Investment Company Limited; scented candles from Central Viet Nam Production, Trade and Services Co., Ltd. and ‘che’ (a kind of fermented pork) of Mr Chanh of Nguyen Chanh family-run business were proposed by the city’s administration to be recognised by the  OCOP Council as 4-star.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, the Director of Da Nang Cordyceps Development Investment Company Limited, said that the company’s two products participating in OCOP both apply biotechnology in production with strict processes, in tandem with using clean ingredients, no preservatives, applying freeze - drying technology and continuously improving nutrients. The company pioneered research and successfully cultivated cordyceps mushrooms of the Condyces militaris species in an artificial environment for exceptionally high nutritional content.

Accordingly, the product is certified by the National Institute for Food Hygiene and Safety under the Ministry of Health to have superior pharmaceutical content, not inferior to natural products (cordycepin >= 9mg/g and Adenosine > = 2.2mg/g). “Through the OCOP programme, we hope the city’s administration will continue to support product promotion to many residents and tourists, create a good quality OCOP Da Nang product brand, bringing trust to consumers”, said Mr. Son.

In Ngu Hanh Son District, in early November 2023, the OCOP product evaluation and grading council of the district reviewed 5 OCOP products. In detail, Tam Nguyen cold-dried turmeric powder, Hai Van Son bird's nest and jade stone plates carved with the bridge of Da Nang were recommended to be rated with 3 stars; Kinbe beef jerky and butter shrimp with 4 stars.

In Hoa Vang District, after 4 years of implementation of the OCOP programme, the whole district has 21 OCOP products, comprising 7 ones being labelled with 4 stars, 13 with 3 stars and 1 potential 5-star one that has been exported to many markets. In 2023, Hoa Vang District is expected to have 11 more products being recognised as OCOP with 4 achieving 4 stars, 5 with 3 stars and 2 completing dossiers for evaluation by the end of December 2023, along with with the time to re-evaluate the 5 products recognised in 2020.

According to Mr. Le Dinh Ca, the Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hoa Vang District, 2023 is the first year the district receives and evaluates OCOP products on software and evaluates according to Decision No. 148/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. Hoa Vang District is coordinating with the consulting unit to quickly complete data entry and records on evaluation software to submit to the district evaluation council.

Exploiting product potential and advantages

According to Ms. Dinh Thi Que, the Head of Hai Chau District's Economic Department, participants in this year's OCOP programme have focused on improving quality, legal documents, packaging and labels. With the characteristics of a central district, discovering, searching and developing potential products faces certain difficulties, mainly focusing on the food and beverage group.

In the coming time, the district will continue to search and evaluate products oriented towards urban agriculture development based on hi- tech applications. In addition to supporting the completion of documents, the district also supports subjects in advertising and trade promotion, improving production and business efficiency and carrying the unique brand of OCOP Da Nang products.

According to the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the entire city has so far developed 66 OCOP-certified products with 21 rated with 4 stars, 44 with 3 stars and 1 with 5 stars.

It is expected that the entire city will have 40 additional products recognised as OCOP by the end of 2023.

As reported by Ms. Vu Thi Bich Hau, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the city will continue to focus on organising the production and development of OCOP products according to 6 OCOP product groups, giving priority to agricultural and non-agricultural products, services, key products, characteristics and advantages in each locality in the direction of promoting internal resources and added value associated with community development.

At the same time, attention  will be paid to reviewing and evaluating the current situation and standardize OCOP products in two directions: developing typical, key and traditional products associated with local advantages, giving priority to developing products from traditional craft villages, rural tourism services and new products based on scientific and technological applications with outstanding quality, uniqueness and market potential.

“The OCOP programme in the city has been on the right track, exploiting the maximum potential and advantages, especially the internal resources of the subjects, thereby increasing income and stabilising people's lives.”, emphasised Ms. Hau.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by A.THU