Nguyễn Văn Chi, deputy head of the city's steering office for the new-style rural area building programme. Photos courtesy of Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s Thạch Thất District has focused for nearly four years on taking full advantage of its local potential to develop the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Programme.

Many of its products have been recognised as OCOP, creating favourable conditions for businesses to participate in the production chain, improving the value of agricultural products while promoting effective and sustainable economic development.

Located 25km away from the center of Hà Nội, Thach Thất District is bordered by mountains and midlands with plains, connecting the northwest region with a convenient transportation system. Thạch Thất District is now home to 50 craft villages, and of these, 10 have been recognised as traditional craft villages. The district also has many farms that have advantages when implementing the OCOP programme.

A farmer checks an organic vegetable growing area at Hương Ngải Cooperative.

According to Chairman of the People's Committee of Thạch Thất District Nguyễn Mạnh Hồng, Thạch Thất is the district which has the highest number of OCOP products with 142 products. Of the total, 114 products have achieved 4-star OCOP certification and 28 products have won 3-star OCOP certification. Many OCOP products of craft villages have been praised by consumers for their quality such as wooden sofas, watches, and altars made by the Nguyễn Trung Đức business household in Canh Nậu Commune and organic vegetables provided by Hoa Viên Farm in Yên Bình Commune.

Trương Kim Hoa, an owner of Hoa Viên Farm, said that with a 30ha farm specialising in growing organic vegetables and specialty herbs with strict regulations on organic vegetable production and international certification, her farm’s vegetables have met OCOP standards. Her products have been sold smoothly via distribution channels and clean food stores as well.

A worker inspects water spraying system in Hoa Viên Farm

Nguyễn Đỗ Ban, Director of Hương Ngải Cooperative, said that the cooperative has been part of the OCOP programme since 2019. The cooperative's OCOP products are sold in supermarkets and canteens, bringing higher income for household businesses.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh, who grows one hectare of pomelo, said that in 2019 her family joined the OCOP Programme and won a 3-star OCOP certification. As a result, her family's pomelo has gained higher value, bringing her an annual revenue of VNĐ420 million per hectare.

Having products of traditional craft villages and agricultural products in the district that have been recognised with OCOP certification opens up new opportunities for production and business activities.

According to the head of the District’s Economic Division Trần Đức Thanh, the effective implementation of the OCOP programme has helped farmers switch from traditional to modern production method by using scientific applications so as to improve quality and raise productivity as well as changing designs to meet market demand, bringing stable incomes for local people.

Local officials visit a booth of wooden sofas, watches, and altars made by a business household during a week-long event to display handicrafts and other farm produce in Hà Nội.

In 2023, Thạch Thất District is striving to have 20 to 30 products that can achieve OCOP certifications. In addition, the district will evaluate and classify 49 OCOP products with expired certifications while continuing to maintain and improve the quality of recognised OCOP products.

In order to assist businesses who already participated in the OCOP Programme, the People's Committee of Thạch Thất District has worked with consulting firms to instruct businesses, households and individuals participating in OCOP production in a safe and organic method.

Those who participate in the OCOP Programme in craft villages will focus on purchasing equipment, upgrading machinery systems, designing trademarks and registering product trademarks in line with market demand and prepare documents to submit to the city authority for classification of OCOP certification by the end of 2023.

To continue upgrading products that have won OCOP certification and develop new products registered for OCOP certification, Thạch Thất District will enhance key solutions such as consultation service, sample design, product packaging, and OCOP stamps as well as participating in a value chain of production and product consumption.

Recently, Thạch Thất District’s People’s Committee has worked with the Hà Nội Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Programme to conduct a week-long event to display handicrafts and other farm produces. The event is intended to promote the consumption of quality OCOP products with clear origins and reasonable prices, while helping producers and businesses enhance their connectivity.

Nguyễn Văn Chi, deputy head of the city's steering office for the new-style rural area building programme said Thạch Thất is one of the localities taking the lead in Hà Nội in terms of OCOP products. Furthermore, Thạch Thất's products also promote value and bring high economic efficiency, helping to change the thinking of participants.

This article is published under the coordination of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Programme in Hà Nội. — VNS