Vietnam steps up efforts to boost OCOP exports

OCOP trade promotion will be intensified and distribution channels expanded in 2024 to bring more products to the international market, according to the Trade Promotion Center for Agriculture - Agritrade, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In 2023, the consumption of OCOP products broadened nationwide, with widespread availability through modern channels and e-commerce platforms. In addition, many of these products successfully ventured into international markets, acting as "ambassadors" to showcase Vietnam's unique specialties.

In addition to improving product quality, special emphasis has been placed on innovative promotion and trade promotion methods for OCOP products.

Vietnamese presence at Europe's largest handicraft fair in Milan. Photo: VNA

In 2023, Vietnam's five-star OCOP products were exhibited at Europe's largest handicraft fair in Milan, Italy, and two international OCOP booths were set up at the Vietnamese Goods Week in Central World in Bangkok, Thailand.

With its ever-increasing marketing and sales through social media and e-commerce, coupled with the advantages of combining shopping and entertainment, OCOP products have become formidable competitors to online stores specializing in household goods and cosmetics, according to Agritrade.

The TikTok Shop Vietnam platform hosted around 800 OCOP fairs, generating sales of VND100 billion (US$4.08 million) and reaching an impressive viewership of 300m. These fairs played an important role in promoting the value of OCOP products, supporting the growth of enterprises, businesses and cooperatives, and making valuable contributions to local economic development.

OCOP Performance nationwide

By the end of 2023, there were 11,054 OCOP products nationwide, exceeding the 10% target set for 2021-2025. Of these, 68.9% were certified as three-star products, nearly 30% were in the four-star category, 42 were classified as five-star, and several five-star candidates that meet the quality standards of many export markets are awaiting certification.

Many OCOP products have adopted advanced production processes and quality standards such as ISO 22000, HACCP, VietGap and GlobalGap.

Some of them could be mass-produced and exported. This is the driving force behind the development of the rural agricultural sector, adding value to goods and contributing positively to socio-economic development.

With a remarkable total of 2,167 products evaluated and classified, Hanoi leads the country with the highest number of OCOP items, accounting for 22% of the nationwide total of 9,852 OCOP commodities.

The city aims to implement the OCOP program in every commune to unleash rural potential and advantages, increase people's income, promote sustainable rural economic development, and contribute to efficient and sustainable rural construction.

To achieve its ambitious goals, this year the city aims to have about 400 products rated three stars or above and five potential five-star products participate in the evaluation and ranking of OCOP products at the national level.

It also aims to set up 10-20 showrooms to introduce and sell OCOP products in the city, establish at least one creative design center to promote OCOP products, and integrate craft villages with tourism.

Furthermore, it will build and improve the management and monitoring system for OCOP products, and promote digital transformation in the OCOP Program.

After five years of implementation, the OCOP program has confirmed its position, attracting the participation of hundreds of businesses, cooperatives and productive households.

Representatives of international businesses and organizations visit AgroViet 2023. Photo: Nguyen Minh/The Hanoi Times

In the northern border province of Lao Cai, 176 agricultural products have so far received provincial-level OCOP certification, including 23 4-star products and 153 3-star products.

At present, the province is maintaining and developing 132 chains of certified safe agricultural products, with more than 60 chains supplying the Hanoi market and neighboring provinces, and 328 safe product lines from 104 enterprises and cooperatives with electronic traceability labels.

In Bac Giang Province, also in the north, after more than four years of implementation of the OCOP programme, there are currently 255 OCOP products rated three stars and above. Of these, 31 products have achieved four-star recognition, 224 products have been recognized as three-star products, and two products, namely Luc Ngan lychee and Ven Village's eco-cultural tourism product, Yen The District, have the potential for five-star national recognition.

Expansion of markets

Nguyen Minh Tien, director of Agritrade, said that OCOP products have gone from being mainly focused on consumption within a district or province to covering the domestic market and starting to be exported.

He added that in the past, customers only recognized products with strengths such as rice or grains. But now, in 2023, Le Gia shrimp paste will be exported to Japan and Australia, and Binh Lieu vermicelli to Europe and Australia.

According to Tien, from 2020 and before, the country mainly focused on product development, improving quality and building an OCOP product ecosystem. But from 2021 until now, trade promotion activities have been intensified. In some specialized food chains, OCOP products account for up to 50%.

"These products have become true ambassadors and traditional specialities of Vietnam, gaining global recognition through compliance with OCOP product standards. This transformation highlights their ability to meet the necessary requirements and marks a fundamental change in their overall quality," he emphasized.

As social media and e-commerce have experienced significant growth, coupled with the growing trend of combining shopping and entertainment, OCOP products and villages have emerged as formidable competitors to online stores specializing in household goods and cosmetics, according to the Trade Promotion Center for Agricultural.