A model of growing clean vegetables in HCM City’s Củ Chi District. — Photo hcmcpv.org.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City is seeking to have at least 124 products meet the standards of One Commune-One Product (OCOP) programmes with three-star and above ratings by 2025.

The municipal People’s Committee has issued a decision approving the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s OCOP programme plan for the period of 2021-25.

The city will allow businesses all over the city to take part in the programme, unlike now when only those in its five outlying districts can.

The priority will be given to enterprises, cooperatives, cooperative groups, farms and productive households that make key agricultural products to participate in the plan.

By 2025, all communes that build in new-style rural areas in the city are expected to have OCOP-certified products with three-star and above ratings.

The plan will focus on developing new OCOP products associated with supporting agricultural restructuring.

It will improve human resource quality for government agencies and leaders of economic organisations participating in the OCOP programme plan.

It will continue to develop OCOP products with a value chain approach suited to local conditions and to meet market requirements.

Developing OCOP products will help build raw material areas in the direction of organic production, resource management, biodiversity conservation, conservation and maintenance of rural landscapes, and protection of ecological environments.

The city will boost the application of biotechnology, science and technology and high-tech agriculture adapting to changes in the Industrial Revolution 4.0, develop agricultural production models combined with tourism, and provide vocational training to labourers in rural areas.

The city will give priority to developing agricultural and non-agricultural products, craft products, specialty products and unique services based on culture, materials and the potential advantages of each locality.

It will pilot developing green OCOP products in the direction of digital economy associated with export markets, and the potential and advantages of each area.

It will improve its management capacity and quality management of food safety and hygiene, product innovation and creativity, skills development, attractive packaging and label design, and knowledge about intellectual property rights.

It will also promote brand names of specialty products in rural areas.

In addition, trade promotion activities, trading connections and connecting supply and demand for OCOP products will be enhanced.

The city will strengthen the classification, evaluation and monitoring of OCOP products, and the application of IT and digital transformation in product evaluation and rating.

So far, the city has 27 OCOP-certified products, 21 of them ‘four-star’, and six “three-star”, reflecting their potential to reach international standards.

A sweetened pennyworth powder from Thiên Nhiên Việt Produce Trading - Export - Import Co., Ltd. is being considered for five-star certification for having reached international standards.

The city targets 41 more products receiving OCOP designation this year, including 19 four-star products.

Launched in 2018, the OCOP is a national rural economic development programme to develop one strong product for each commune.

It is contributing to the improvement of the incomes and lives of people in rural areas, while also supporting agricultural restructuring and programmes on new-style rural area building, and developing regional agricultural specialties and rural tourism.

Thousands of products have been rated and qualified for the standards of the programme across the country.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, products have been given stamps to trace their origin after the issuance of OCOP certificates.

Retail systems, e-commerce suppliers and trade centres have actively participated in consuming OCOP products.

The quality and design of the OCOP products improve day by day. Profits from these products have also been on the increase.

The programme has become widespread in many countries in Asia, Africa and Europe with various names. Việt Nam has begun initiatives to connect to the global network. The value of OCOP, handicraft products and art souvenirs has been recognised. — VNS