The implementation of the "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) program has brought about significant achievements for Hai Duong province. The OCOP products, after being rated, have contributed to increasing their value, boosting sales for producers, and expanding the consumer market.

Evaluation and Classification of OCOP Products in Hai Duong Province

In 2023, Hai Duong province recognized 135 products, including 117 new products (24 products rated 4 stars and 93 products rated 3 stars) and 18 re-evaluated products (10 products rated 4 stars and 8 products rated 3 stars).

Increasing Sales Volume

Dao Quang Chuyen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoang Giang Joint Stock Company, located in Cam Thuong Ward, Hai Duong City, shared: “Starting as a traditional village product, Hai Duong's green bean cakes have been well-known for a long time. However, in the past, the production of green bean cakes was very simple because there was only one type, packaged in glossy paper, resulting in limited consumption and a shelf life of 1.5 to 2 months. Recognizing the trend of consumers towards branded products with origin, good quality, and diversity, the company is now producing nearly 20 different products such as green bean cakes with flavors of taro, cashew, matcha, durian, coconut, young rice, and fruit, with an annual output of 500-700 tons. In addition to domestic consumption through supermarket systems, the company is currently piloting the export of green bean cakes to the US and Japanese markets.”

Particularly, since the implementation of the OCOP program, green bean cake products have had more opportunities for development and wider consumer markets. Among them, entities with OCOP green bean cake products have produced more varieties of cakes and improved their preservation methods, extending the shelf life. Currently, each box of green bean cakes from the company has various flavors, no preservatives, and some have a shelf life of nine months." So far, the company has nine products that have achieved a 4-star OCOP rating, including the "Golden Dragon" green bean cake product, which is currently being proposed for 5-star recognition. After being certified with OCOP, these products have undergone many changes to meet the criteria of quality, design, and packaging, and as a result, sales have increased by 20%, and domestic consumers have become more aware of them.

Hoang Dieu commune, Gia Loc district (Hai Duong) is the birthplace of the footwear industry in the region, which has gone through many ups and downs, but in recent years, the craft village has been growing. Currently, the commune has more than 300 households engaged in the shoe-making industry, attracting 6,000 local and neighboring laborers with an average income of around 6 million dong per person per month, while skilled workers can earn from 15 to 20 million dong per month. Currently, the craft villages in the area sell about 6 million pairs of shoes to the market each year. Le Hoang Ha, Director of An Thanh Dat-HD Limited Liability Company, said, "Over two months ago, Hoang Ha leather shoes, produced by our company, were certified with a 3-star OCOP rating. The company is one of the first units in Hoang Dieu commune to have a leather shoe product with a "star" attached. Being certified with OCOP has opened up many expectations for the production and business of our company in particular and the leather shoe craft villages in Hoang Dieu commune in general. With the 3-star OCOP certification, in 2024, the company will intensify efforts to bring the product to e-commerce platforms to promote product information, expand the market, increase sales, and raise incomes."

Expanding Consumer Channels

According to Pham Thi Dao, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Hai Duong Province: "Hai Duong is a locality with many characteristic products that have the potential to be developed and upgraded into OCOP products such as guava, orange, persimmon, lychee, mushrooms, pigeons, silkworms, etc. To achieve good results in the One Commune One Product program, the Department has actively advised the Provincial People's Committee on the implementation of the planned contents. Alongside this, there has been active participation from various levels, sectors, and localities in the implementation process. In addition, the provincial agricultural sector has actively organized and supported entities to participate in nationwide OCOP product introduction fairs, supported businesses and cooperatives in trade promotion, and facilitated the listing of OCOP products on e-commerce platforms.

At the same time, functional agencies have also strengthened information connectivity to improve the consumption of OCOP products both within and outside the province. This includes information connectivity with Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang provinces, etc." By the end of 2023, Hai Duong Province had 351 OCOP products, including two 5-star products, 118 4-star products, and 231 3-star products. Among them, the food group accounted for 293 products (83%); medicinal herbs and products derived from medicinal herbs had 14 products; handicrafts had 17 products; beverages had 23 products; and community tourism services, ecotourism, and tourist attractions had four products.

However, the OCOP program in Hai Duong Province has also encountered difficulties due to some localities failing to recognize the importance and practical significance and therefore not putting enough effort into implementation. The program's new and diverse content has led to insufficient understanding and confusion in some places. While there are many products with potential in the province, most of the investment has been focused on design, packaging, and brand building, with a lack of product quality certification. The domestic market remains the main consumer market for OCOP products.

In 2024, Hai Duong Province aims to have at least 50 products recognized with 3 stars or higher, including at least one 5-star product. To expand the consumer market for OCOP products, the province will strengthen and upgrade the evaluated and rated OCOP products, promote trade, guide OCOP entities to participate in modern retail channels such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and e-commerce platforms, and focus on export orientation. The province will also enhance management and improve the safety and quality of OCOP products, prioritize the application of science and technology to develop and improve the quality of OCOP products, and provide support for improving design, packaging, labels, and branding, to create provincial and national-level branded products.