OCOP promotes agricultural development in Bo Trach

Creating impetus for agricultural development

After 3 years of implementation, the district currently has 37 OCOP products with 3 stars or more. There are 33 products with 3 stars and 4 products with 4 stars. Bo Trach is the leading district in terms of OCOP products in Quang Binh province. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the Bo Trach District People's Committee, said that the OCOP program has changed the thinking and perception of sectors, localities, and people in agricultural and rural development. “OCOP promotes the potential and advantages of rural areas to increase people's income. It is also the driving force linking agriculture with tourism development", Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan emphasized.

Currently, Bo Trach district has 17 entities (enterprises, cooperatives, business households) with 37 OCOP products with 3 stars or more. According to Dr. Nguyen Cam Long, Head of the Bo Trach Department of MARD, the group of aquatic products accounts for the highest proportion (40%), followed by mushroom products (32%), the rest is the group of processed products from the horticulture industry. "Many products have improved quality and value, help built better brands with greater consumption," said Mr. Long.

Timely support to encourage the development

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan - Chairman of the Bo Trach District People's Committee, the locality has supported the subjects with reasonable mechanisms and policies. Bo Trach has a project "Sustainable agricultural development along the value chain" in the period from 2021 to 2025. The district supports production facilities with OCOP products recognized from 3 stars or more with 10 million VND/product. In addition, product manufacturer also receives support to build and upgrade sales points, support trade promotion, publicity, and market expansion "- Mr. Tuan said.  

The district has assigned the Department of MARD to organize training for people on knowledge and skills of production, and improve the connection of resources to encourage people. This also includes support in finding product ideas, developing business plans, implementing business plans, finding capital sources, organizing production, developing products, and improving capacity... Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, director of the cooperative of clean medicinal plants and agribusiness in Cu Nam commune said that thanks to adequate training, she has boldly signed products and invested in model development. From a few ha of medicinal herbs with 5 employees, after 3 years, the cooperative has grown to a raw material area of nearly 40 ha with more than 30 employees with an income of over VND5 million/month. Every year, the cooperative brings high-quality products to the market, including the 3-star OCOP-quality Ca Gai climbing tea with a revenue of over VND5 billion. “When we join OCOP with the belief in our resources, potential to produce and commercialize products, success and real advantages will come”- Ms. Giang said. 

Bo Trach also focuses on getting ideas from locally available products to build models. In the mountainous commune of Thuong Trach, many bamboo shoots haven't become commodities and earn income for the people. Ca Roong Cooperative was established from that strength. With the support and facilitation of local authorities, the cooperative has boldly developed the processing of fresh bamboo shoots into dried bamboo shoots and achieved 3-star OCOP products at the end of last year. This product currently sold very well and is popular in the market. 

With reasonable stimulus measures, the quantity and quality of OCOP products in the Bo Trach district have increased in recent years. In 2019, the district only has 7 products. In 2021, there were 18 products and now the number has doubled.

Bo Trach district has many potentials and advantages to develop OCOP products. Bo Trach's strengths are aquaculture, exploitation, and processing of aquatic products; growing and processing medicinal plants and indigenous seedling products of each locality.

In particular, Bo Trach possesses many potentials and strengths in tourism, including the heritage homeland of Phong Nha - Ke Bang. The destination attracts thousands of tourists every year from all over the world. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the District People's Committee, said that it is necessary to make the most of the potential and available advantages to direct the development of OCOP products. "We focus on four main product groups: food group, beverage group, herbal group, and rural tourism service group," said Mr. Tuan.

The group of rural tourism services will also make a big change in the face of the countryside. Bo Trach will coordinate with the Tourism, Agriculture - Rural Development sectors to select, guide, and support the development of a number of OCOP models of community tourism and ecotourism. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan emphasized: “The goal of diversifying OCOP products is associated with promoting the advantages of local tourism. It will also be a lever to stimulate agricultural and rural development. Consequently, this will be an important contribution to the socio-economic development of Bo Trach in the coming time".