The Mekong Connect centre is now open in the Grand World Phú Quốc on Phu Quoc Island. Photo courtesy of nongnghiep.vn

HCM CITY — The Mekong Connect, a centre for food and tourism products from the Mekong Delta provinces, officially opened on Phú Quốc Island on Wednesday.

The centre is located at the gateway to the “sleepless city” Grand World Phú Quốc in Kiên Giang Province. Its opening event marks a new milestone for the One Product One Commune (OCOP) programme.

Certified products from the 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta under the programme now have a source of output, authorities said.

Phạm Minh Thiện, chairman of the Board of Directors of Cỏ May Company, which operates The Mekong Connect centre, said the centre was created with the cooperation of localities in the Mekong Delta.

The centre consists of five departments specialising in market research and product development, negotiation and signing of commercial contracts, centralised logistics, and business consulting, among other tasks.

Direct sales to visitors and indirect sales via travel agencies and food booths are The Mekong Connect’s sales strategies.

Vice chairman of Đồng Tháp Provincial People’s Committee Phạm Thiện Nghĩa said that agricultural restructuring of the province in recent years has achieved many results. 

Đồng Tháp Province now has 161 certified products under the OCOP programme. Via previous OCOP fairs, the province has been able to connect with trade centres to sell its products.

In 2020, Đồng Tháp pioneered opening a centre to organise direct trade of OCOP products in Hà Nội. The centre’s success has encouraged the province to build more regional linkages to bring OCOP products from the 13 Mekong Delta provinces closer to potential markets.

The centre for food and tourism products of Đồng Tháp and other Mekong Delta provinces has its first official office at Grand World Phú Quốc.

The centre is an ideal destination for domestic and international tourists when coming to Phú Quốc, opening up opportunities for strong market development of special products in the Mekong Delta. — VNS