(HBO) – Hoa Binh province is home to a large number of unique farm produce, handicrafts, and tourism services imbued with cultural identities of each locality. Despite their good quality and design, products are still mainly sold in the province, and only few of them have stretched their reach to other markets in Vietnam and the world. Facing that fact, Hoa Binh has carried out the "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme with a view to seeking new production and business directions so as to improve product value, as well as people’s living standards.
The Son Thuy longan of Kim Boi district, a three-star
OCOP produce of the province, was exported to China in 2020.
The OCOP programme is described as "a breath of
fresh air” that has spread province-wide, encouraging changes to both mindset
and action.
On September 20, 2018, the provincial People’s
Committee issued Plan No 125/KH-UBND on the implementation of the OCOP
programme for 2018 – 2020, requesting concerted solutions be taken and social
resources be mobilised so that the programme is carried out on schedule and in
an effective manner, thus helping with the building of new-style rural areas
and improvement of people’s income and living standards.
The province looked to standardise at least 25
percent of existing products (about 50 products); develop at least 10 – 15
culture and tourism villages; diversify and enhance the intensive processing of
products under value chains; promote connectivity among production households,
cooperatives, and businesses; and build a database system about
provincial-level OCOP products.
Under the programme, local agriculture has made
important strides as seen in the commercial farming of key plants and
livestock, along with the formation of concentrated and large-scale production
zones like the citrus fruit farming areas in Cao Phong, Kim Boi, Lac Thuy, Tan
Lac, Luong Son, and Yen Thuy districts. Hoa Binh has also formed 11 craft
villages while community-based tourism have been growing in many places like
Ban Lac (Mai Chau district) and Da Bia (Da Bac district), which have become
magnets to domestic and foreign visitors.
The implementation of the OCOP programme is
viewed as an effective and strategic solution for each locality to tap into
their strengths in agriculture, non-agriculture, and services.
Nguyen Huy Nhuan, Director of the Hoa Binh
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said as directed by the
provincial People’s Committee, the agriculture sector has worked with other
departments, sectors, and localities to select key products of local
agriculture, craft industry, and tourism services for the OCOP programme, in
which participants have been assisted with production machinery, package and
label design, origin labeling, intellectual property certificates, and product
marketing.
OCOP is considered a fair playground requiring
every participant to exert efforts to create high-quality products that have
good design and meet standards.
Director of the Tan Lac Son Cooperative Do Trong
Hiep and other members of this cooperative is an example.
Hiep said in 2019, they registered their "giao
co lam” (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) tea for the OCOP programme but failed since
they lacked product testing results. With the resolve and efforts to
standardise the tea, it was recognised as a three-star OCOP product at the
provincial level last year.
Apart from efforts to help products meet OCOP
standards, local producers have also worked to improve their products’ ratings.
For instance, from a provincial-level three-star OCOP product recognised in
2019, the high-end orange gift set of the 3T Cao Phong Agricultural Product
Cooperative secured a four-star rating in 2020.
Thanks to strong moves by authorities and
sectors, along with unceasing efforts of local producers, the OCOP programme
has opened up new opportunities and momentum for rural areas to develop.
The number of provincial-level OCOP products in
Hoa Binh increased from 27, comprising nine four-star and 18 three-star
products, in 2019 to 44, with nine four-star and 35 three-star ones, in 2020./.
Dao Village’s honey – a product certified with a 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) rating by Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative in Dao Village (Hoa Binh City) – is highly regarded by consumers for its quality, richness, and variety in packaging. The distinctively sweet taste of Dao Village’s honey leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
In alignment with Project No. 07-DA/TU, issued by the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee on November 1, 2021, Lac Thuy district has actively promoted investment and supported the sustainable development of its industrial and handicraft sectors during the 2021–2025 period. Alongside this, the district has remained committed to preserving and revitalising traditional craft villages.
Located in the northern part of Lac Thuy district, with a temperate climate and fertile soil, Phu Thanh commune has great potential and advantages in growing tea. The long-standing experience, combined with strict adherence to organic farming practices in the tea gardens, ensures that the dried tea products from Phu Thanh and Lac Thuy as a whole are sold out immediately upon production, providing a stable and prosperous life for the local people.
Amid efforts to streamline the administrative apparatus, Hoa Binh province has intensified measures to address challenges in land clearance, resettlement support, and infrastructure investment, aiming to speed up the progress of key projects.
Hoa Binh province has posted an unprecedented economic growth rate of 12.76% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its highest quarterly performance to date and positioning it as the second fastest-growing locality in the country, trailing only Bac Giang province.
Under current regulations, products in the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme that are rated three stars or higher must undergo re-evaluation every three months. However, in reality, some of these products fail to consistently meet the required standards, raising concerns about the sustainability of their OCOP certification. This underscores the urgent need for producers to enhance product quality and gradually develop their OCOP products into strong, marketable brands.
