Enhancing the value of agricultural goods through OCOP products

For generations, Tra My has been famous as the “Highland of precious cinnamon” with its well-known cinnamon product. Tra My cinnamon is not only a commodity and medicinal product, but also deeply embedded in local consciousness as a symbol and cultural identity of the Quang region.

To conserve and develop Tra My cinnamon, a plan for Tra My cinnamon development in the locality until 2025, with a vision to 2030, has been approved along with the adoption of a resolution on supporting the conservation and development of Tra My cinnamon for the 2018–2025 period.

After seven years of implementation, nearly 2,800 hectares of new cinnamon trees have been planted. The target for 2025 is to stabilise and expand raw material areas to nearly 7,800 hectares. From 2025 to 2030, an additional 2,200 hectares will be planted, bringing the total area of Tra My cinnamon to 10,000 hectares.

As one of the pioneering units in purchasing and processing cinnamon-based products, Minh Phuc Tra My Cinnamon Cooperative has steadily contributed to preserving and promoting the Tra My cinnamon brand, helping it develop both domestically and internationally. The cooperative has signed product off-take contracts with 26 cinnamon-growing households in the locality, purchasing cinnamon bark, branches, and leaves to ensure a stable output and help households stabilise their economic life.

In addition to Tra My cinnamon, grilled coconut crackers are also a famed specialty of Quang region. More than a simple snack, these crackers represent a nostalgic childhood memory passed down through generations. To help develop and expand the market for this traditional product, Quy Thu Trading and Manufacturing Company has been building a brand for its grilled coconut crackers. Its participation in the OCOP programme marked a pivotal milestone in the company’s production activities.

The programme provided start-up businesses like Quy Thu with an opportunity to learn about regulations on label, packaging, trademark registration, intellectual property rights, and product quality improvement. Over ten years, Quy Thu has developed from a small workshop with just a few workers into a relatively synchronised production line, creating jobs for 50 local workers with monthly incomes ranging from 7 to 10 million VND.

OCOP is a flagship programme aimed at developing the rural economy by enhancing internal capacity and adding value. It is a key solution and task under the National Target Programme on New-Style Rural Development for the 2021–2025 period. So far, the locality has 493 OCOP products from 386 producers, including 433 three-star products, 58 four-star products, and two five-star products. Following the pilot OCOP programme for the 2018-2020 period, the locality proactively developed and issued its own support policies.

For example, in 2021, a resolution on mechanism and policies to support the OCOP programme across the locality was issued, ensuring its continuous implementation. The local authority allocated 56.5 billion VND, and the government contributed 13.1 billion VND for localities to carry out the OCOP programmes. In addition, the budget provides at least 10 billion VND each year to support localities in purchasing machinery, equipment, upgrading, and completed OCOP products for evaluation and ranking.

Through OCOP programme participation, many producers have gradually shifted their mindsets and now place greater emphasis on improving product quality by investing in machinery, testing food safety and hygiene indicators, building self-declared records, building quality control plans, applying advanced quality management systems, and building electronic stamps for product traceability

The OCOP programme has brought significant positive changes to the locality’s rural areas, particularly in mountainous areas with distinctive products such as Ngoc Linh ginseng; Tra My honey, and cinnamon essential oil; and some other products. These products have developed beautiful designs, with good quality to meet diverse market needs. The locality will continue to promote OCOP product consumption through modern trade channels, including e-commerce; support OCOP producers to build and develop their brands, promote their products effectively, and encourage the introduction of OCOP products into major domestic and international distribution networks, aiming for export.

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