Đông Anh is a new rural district located in the north of Hà Nội. The district authority conducted a ceremony to honour OCOP products of enterprises in the district. — Photos courtesy of the Hà Nội Coordination Office for the Programme of Building New-style Rural Areas

HÀ NỘI — Over the past four years, Đông Anh has been a leading locality in the development of the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme nationwide.

It has been actively promoting the development of the OCOP programme. With a methodical approach and participation of the district’s authorities, Đông Anh was highly appreciated by the Hà Nội city authority in implementing the OCOP Programme.

Đông Anh is Hà Nội’s first district to conduct an evaluation and classification of OCOP products at the district level. In the last four years, Đông Anh had 172 products qualifying for OCOP produced by 17 cooperatives, 14 households and 11 enterprises. The products focus on three groups including food, beverages and handicrafts.

OCOP products on display in a local supermarket.

One product was recognised as a 5-star OCOP product while 59 others are recognised as 4-star OCOP products and 112 as 3-star.

In line with the aspiration to eliminate plastic waste, director Lê Văn Tâm of Sông Hồng Agricultural Service Cooperative in Đại Mạch Commune, Đông Anh District has decided to produce straws from fruits and vegetables which are recognised as a 5-star OCOP product.

Tâm said his cooperative has invested carefully in a production line to produce the environmentally-friendly straws. A standard straw requires many production steps. The raw materials are organic products with no preservatives.

His straws have a uniform appearance and can be used in water for up to 10 hours. The straws can be fried, boiled and dipped in a hot pot or made into snacks to make exotic dishes.

Three Brothers Food Join Stock Company was established more than three years ago, involving in producing, processing and supplying food from raw materials such as pork, beef, chicken and fish imported from prestige suppliers.

To join in the OCOP Programme, the company has constantly improved its production process and invested in equipment and trained workers to raise product quality while ensuring food hygiene and nutrition.

Being known as a pioneer in developing OCOP products, Hải Anh Safe Vegetable JSC in Vân Nội Commune has three products (tomatoes, cucumbers and spinach) that are certified as OCOP products. The company director Nguyễn Thế Hạnh said his company’s three products are certified 3-star and 4-star OCOP.

Hạnh noted that the certified products have played an important role in market access and expansion.

According to Nguyễn Xuân Linh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Đông Anh District, the OCOP programme has created a driving force for the development of the collective and private economies and job markets.

To enhance the development of the OCOP Programme, Đông Anh has given support and improved quality of products which were already recognised as OCOP products.

Đông Anh has strengthened the review process and found new products, and has associated with the start-up movement.

To improve productivity and quality of OCOP products, Đông Anh has outlined a plan to implement the OCOP Programme in the 2020-2025 period. The district will work out specific policies on training, technology transfer and raw material and processing zones as well as assist in establishing booth samplings for 3-star OCOP products.

These policies are the driving force for businesses to promote their potential and advantages while strengthening the application of farm technology to meet OCOP standards.

Đông Anh has regularly conducted conferences and forums to promote OCOP products from the district while connecting firms to distribution systems, retail chains, and supermarkets.

Nguyễn Văn Chí, Deputy Chief of the Standing Coordination Office for the Programme of Building New-Style Rural Areas in Hà Nội highly appreciated the development of OCOP programme, noting that Đông Anh is the first to develop it in Hà Nội.

Since 2019, the Đông Anh local authorities have developed the programme in order to draw experience for other districts and townships. VNS

*The article is written in collaboration with the Coordination Office of the New Rural Development Programme in Hà Nội.