OCOP Program Creates Driving Force for Rural Economy

Dak Nong has now begun to assess and rate OCOP products. The program attracted many enterprises and cooperatives. Rated OCOP products belong to different categories.

Mr. Pham Tuan Anh, Director of the Dak Nong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, products recognized as OCOP in the first phase of 2020 met OCOP rating requirements and criteria. Among 22 province-level OCOP-certified products, two products of Dak Mil district were rated 4 stars: sachi oil made by Sachi Tay Nguyen Joint Stock Company and Dak Dam coffee powder made by Cong Bang Thuan An Agriculture Cooperative. The remaining 20 products are all 3 stars.

These products already passed assessment and rating rounds at the district/city level. Based on their potential and advantages, districts and cities are determined to bring unique and advantageous products to the OCOP Program. Agricultural enterprises and cooperatives are supported to make packages, labels and traceability stamps if their products are deeply processed. This is the basis for achieving the OCOP product certification criteria.

OCOP certification helps enhance product competitiveness, increase income and employment for the community, restore and develop traditional products, build the appeal of rural areas, and attract workers and capital sources. According to participating companies, OCOP certified products will help enhance reputation, brand and innovation of producers and improve product quality to meet domestic and international standards. Based on OCOP experience seen in other provinces and cities nationwide, Dak Nong province will determine existing potential and strengths in agricultural production to launch the OCOP Program.

In the coming time, Dak Nong will focus on economic development goals in rural areas, increase incomes for local people, and adopt new national rural development criteria.

Ngoc Dan (Vietnam Business Forum)