(HBO) – The collective economic sector, with cooperatives at its core, has adapted to the market economy and affirmed its role in socio-economic development of Hoa Binh province and its rural areas in particular.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the collective
sector and cooperatives have maintained operations and ensured income for
labourers.
The Huy Chi Cooperative in Hung Son commune,
Kim Boi district, which specialises in making clothes for export, has generated
jobs for about 50 local labourers.
Over the past 20 years, the collective sector
and cooperatives have grown in both quality and quantity.
Statistics show that as of the end of 2021, the
province counted 228 cooperative groups, up 2.78 percent from 2001; and 476
cooperatives, up 73.9 percent, of which 446 are operational.
The average turnover of each cooperative during
the 2013-2021 period doubled that in 2001-2012, and reached 3 billion USD last
year. Meanwhile, each labourer earns over 4 million VND monthly.
Notably, the cooperatives have promoted major
local products, and many of them have cooperated with supermarkets and big
businesses to expand the consumption market for their products, contributing to
improving product quality and competitiveness.
Bui Huyen, Vice Chairman of the Yen Thuy
district People’s Committee, said cooperative groups and cooperatives have
operated in a wide range of areas like agriculture, handicraft ad
transportation services.
Resources have been mobilised to develop the
collective sector through assisting with the establishment of new cooperatives,
providing them with modern machines, and helping put products on e-commercial
platforms, thus encouraging locals to join cooperatives.
Dinh Cong Su, Vice Chairman of the provincial
People’s Committee and head of the provincial steering board for the
development of cooperatives, noted that cooperatives have brought about
sustainable production outcomes in rural areas, especially disadvantaged and
ethnic minority-inhabited areas.
In up to 65 percent of communes, cooperatives
have actively contributed to the local agriculture-based economy and new-style
rural area building, according to the official.
Hang Kia tourism service and agricultural
cooperative in Mai Chau district was established in June 2021 with 11 members,
of which three households offer community-based tourism services, one
specialises in brocade production, and seven others engage in farming.
Each year, the cooperative welcomes nearly
10,000 holidaymakers and earns some 1 billion VND from tourism. It has also
created jobs for 15 labourers, each with income ranging from 3-5 million VND
per month.
The cooperative’s community-based tourism services
have been recognised as four-star OCOP products by the provincial People’s
Committee.
Hoa Binh now has 58 products of 41 cooperatives
that are rated three stars and above.
Apart from such achievements, limitations still
remain in the collective economic sector such as slow, unstable growth and
modest contributions to the province’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP).
Given this, Hoa Binh aims to raise the sector’s
contributions to the GRDP to 6 percent by 2030, and have 300 cooperative
groups, 730 cooperatives and 10 cooperative alliances, with 27,200 members.
Su said to achieve the targets, the province
needs to raise public awareness of the collective economy and promote the role
of all-level Party Committees and authorities and localities as well as
coordination between departments, agencies and organisations in leadership.
Other tasks include consolidating relevant
mechanisms, promoting new-style cooperative models and investing more in the
models, especially those in agriculture, in disadvantaged and ethnic
minority-inhabited areas./.
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.
