Trần Duy Linh (right), director of the Cầu Kè Macapuno Company Limited in Trà Vinh Province’s Cầu Kè District, introduces his company’s sweet macapuno strings, a five-star OCOP product, to a consumer. – VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Hoà

TRÀ VINH – Trà Vinh Province’s products recognised under the country’s “One Commune-One Product” (OCOP) programme have improved their value and have stable outlets.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has 184 OCOP products, including 137 rated three stars, 38 rated four stars, and three rated five stars and five star potential products.

The three five-star OCOP products are coconut flower nectar and coconut flower sugar of Sok Farm Co., Ltd in Tiểu Cần District, and sweet macapuno strings of the Cầu Kè Macapuno Company Limited in Cầu Kè District.

Of the province’s three five-star OCOP products, Tiểu Cần District accounts for two.

The district has 16 OCOP products rated between three to five stars.

Nguyễn Văn Hùng, chairman of the Tiểu Cần People’s Committee, said the district was mobilising various resources to implement the programme, and encouraging companies, co-operatives, and co-operative groups which produce specific products to participate in the programme.

The district’s relevant agencies were assisting OCOP product producers to access the support policies of the programme, including registration procedures, advertising and promoting products, he said.

The district plans to have eight new OCOP products this year.

Trà Vinh is taking measures to assist producers to secure input materials for producing OCOP products, especially macapuno coconut products.

It has the largest macapuno coconut growing area in the country, with nearly 800ha planted mostly in Cầu Kè District.

It is also the country’s second largest coconut producing province, after neighbouring Bến Tre Province.

It has more than 26,000ha of coconut with seven million coconut trees. Of this area, 22,000ha are producing fruits with nearly 16.8 tonnes per hectare.

Nguyễn Huỳnh Thiện, deputy chairman of the province People’s Committee and head of the province’s steering committee for OCOP product development, branding, product traceability and e-commerce development, said the programme was promoting the advantages and potentials of rural areas, creating jobs and improving incomes for rural people, and boosting the development of the rural economy sustainably.

In 2019-22, the province spent more than VNĐ11.5 billion (US$480,000) to support producers to develop OCOP products.

It had six shops specialised in introducing and selling OCOP products.

To develop OCOP products effectively and sustainably, the province’s relevant agencies should strengthen trade promotion activities and expand their markets at home and abroad, Thiện said.

The province would continue to support OCOP producers with the cost of designing packages and labels, building product stories, renting or building OCOP product selling shops, and buying machines and equipment for producing high quality OCOP products, he said.

The province’s Department of Science and Technology will develop brand names, e-commerce, geographical indication and origin traceability for OCOP products, according to the official.

The province aims to develop at least 50 new OCOP products a year from now to 2025 and all OCOP products will be sold on e-commerce platforms.

It has many OCOP products exported to high requirement markets such as the US, Japan and the UK.

The development of OCOP products have created more jobs and increased incomes for people in rural areas.

The production outputs of OCOP products have been increased by 10-30 per cent compared to before their recognition and their outlets have been expanded.

Many OCOP products have been sold on e-commerce platforms and participate in trade promotion activities at home and abroad. – VNS