In Lac Thuy district, communes have been succeeded in promoting their One Commune-One Product (OCOP) products while others are still struggling to position their typical farming products in market. Some communes in the district still fail to have their products met OCOP programme’s requirements, while others have seen their certifications expired.
Workers of Kim Boi joint Stock Company in Lac Thuy district pack bamboo shoots which is certified as 5-star OCOP product at the national level.
According to the district People's Committee, it currently manages and develops 23 OCOP products, including two that have achieved a national 5-star rating, four rated 4 stars, and 17 rated 3 stars. Notable items include Lac Thuy chicken, Song Boi tea, Dong Tam custard apples, and Hung Thi honey.
Some cooperatives have successfully built value chains encompassing production, processing, traceability, packaging, and branding. This foundational work is essential for OCOP products to thrive in the market rather than simply being showcased at fairs.
However, many rural areas in Lac Thuy have been struggling to seek a foothold for their local specialties. As reported by the district’s authorities, Yen Bong commune currently has no OCOP products. Several communes used to have their products recognised products in the past, but they have either expired without re-evaluation, failed to meet the criteria for reclassification.
Deputy Chairwoman of the district People's Committee Hoang Thi Thu Hang said that the district strives to implement the upcoming phase of the OCOP programme more effectively and systematically. The role of local producers needs to be strengthened, particularly in enhancing product quality and evaluation standards.
The district plans to standardise at least two OCOP products at the provincial level by the end of 2025, while also focusing on supporting communes without OCOP products to develop their brands.
Additionally, the district will assist OCOP entities in accessing markets through e-commerce platforms, enhancing product promotion at fairs, and establishing partnerships with businesses.
In the long run, the sustainability of the OCOP programme will depend on the capabilities of cooperatives, agricultural enterprises, and the political will at the grassroots level.
In the criteria for enhanced rural areas in 2025, the production organisation and rural economic development criterion is one of the biggest "bottlenecks." Most communes are yet to meet the requirements regarding key products, production linkages, e-commerce, or traceability codes. Therefore, as the district aims to have communes achieve enhanced rural standards, addressing the issues related to the OCOP programme is an urgent task that cannot be delayed.
According to data from the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee, the industrial production index for the first six months of 2025 is estimated to have increased by 20% compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest year-on-year growth rate for this period since 2020.
In the first six months of 2025, Hoa Binh province’s export turnover was estimated at 1.145 billion USD, marking an 18.11% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Import turnover was estimated at $ 804 million, a 17.15% increase, which helped the province maintain a positive trade balance.
The lives of the ethnic minority farmers in Tan Lac district have gradually improved thanks to the new directions in agricultural production. This is a testament to the collective strength fostered through the professional associations and groups implemented by various levels of the district’s Farmers’ Union.
With the motto the "product quality comes first,” after nearly one year of establishment and operation, Muong village’s Clean Food Agricultural and Commercial Cooperative, located in Cau Hamlet, Hung Son Commune (Kim Boi district), has launched reputable, high-quality agricultural products to the market that are well-received by consumers. The products such as Muong village’s pork sausage, salt-cured chicken, and salt-cured pork hocks have gradually carved out a place in the market and they are on the path to obtaining the OCOP certification.
In the past, the phrase "bumper harvest, rock-bottom prices" was a familiar refrain for Vietnamese farmers engaged in fragmented, small-scale agriculture. But today, a new spirit is emerging across rural areas of Hoa Binh province - one of collaboration, organisation, and collective economic models that provide a stable foundation for production.
Maintaining growing area codes and packing facility codes in accordance with regulations is a mandatory requirement for agricultural products to be eligible for export. Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoa Binh province has intensified technical supervision of designated farming areas and packing facilities to safeguard the "green passport" that enables its products to access international markets.
