The centre is located at the gateway to the “sleepless city” Grand World Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province. Its opening event marks a new milestone for the One Product One Commune (OCOP) programme.

Certified products from the 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta under the programme now have a source of output, authorities said.

Pham Minh Thien, chairman of the Board of Directors of Co May Company, which operates The Mekong Connect centre, said the centre was created with the cooperation of localities in the Mekong Delta.

The centre consists of five departments specialising in market research and product development, negotiation and signing of commercial contracts, centralised logistics, and business consulting, among other tasks.

Direct sales to visitors and indirect sales via travel agencies and food booths are The Mekong Connect’s sales strategies.

Vice chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People’s Committee Pham Thien Nghia said that agricultural restructuring of the province in recent years has achieved many results.

Dong Thap Province now has 161 certified products under the OCOP programme. Via previous OCOP fairs, the province has been able to connect with trade centres to sell its products.

In 2020, Dong Thap pioneered opening a centre to organise direct trade of OCOP products in Ha Noi. The centre’s success has encouraged the province to build more regional linkages to bring OCOP products from the 13 Mekong Delta provinces closer to potential markets.

The centre for food and tourism products of Dong Thap and other Mekong Delta provinces has its first official office at Grand World Phu Quoc.

The centre is an ideal destination for domestic and international tourists when coming to Phu Quoc, opening up opportunities for strong market development of special products in the Mekong Delta. — VNS