Management of planting area and packaging facility codes is a key point in traceability and geographical indications for a number of major agricultural products of Hoa Binh province in order to meet export conditions. Therefore, issuance of planting area codes as well as good implementation of traceability are identified by the provincial agricultural sector as an opportunity to increase competitiveness of agricultural products in both domestic and export markets.
In recent years, the province has encouraged organisations and individuals to register for planting area and packaging facility codes in order to have more "passports" for the province’s agricultural products to go to the world.
Leaders of the provincial sub-department of crop cultivation and plant protection check cultivation diary of a pomelo household who has been granted a planting area code in Ngoc Luong commune, Yen Thuy district.
In late 2023, farmers in Luong Son district exported the first batch of Dien pomelos to the US market. Before export, the pomelos had been tested to ensure they met 900 food safety inspection criteria according to the requirements of the EU and the regulations of the importing country.
Earlier in the same year, Cao Phong district exported seven tonnes of fresh oranges to the UK market. Sample packages sent to the UK were cleared without any problems with food safety and origin.
So far, under the direction of the province and with support from specialised and local agencies, 389.77 hectares of fruit and five packaging facilities have been granted with export planting area and packaging codes by the plant protection authority and approved by importing countries. Since then, there have been a number of agricultural products that meet all export requirements to the markets of the UK, the US, China, the EU.
In the first six months of 2024, the province's total export volume of agricultural products reached 725 tonnes, with an export value of about 31.6 billion VND, an increase of about 10% over the same period last year.
Nguyen Hong Yen, Director of the sub-department of crop cultivation and plant protection, said that while it is difficult to acquire a planting area code, it is even harder to maintain the required conditions to keep the code. If the management is relaxed, shipments of exported agricultural products will meet regulations of importing countries, leading to a potential risk of reducing market share.
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.
