Co.opmart and Co.opXtra reserve prime places for displaying for OCOP products. — Photo courtesy of Saigon Co.op
A programme that seeks to promote consumption of items made under the national “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme is being held at Saigon Co.op's 800 points of sale nationwide, including Co.opmart, Co.opXtra, Co.op Food, and Finelife, until July 17.
The “Đồng hành cùng OCOP – Tôn vinh nông sản Việt” programme is part of a series of activities to celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives (on the first Saturday of July) and Saigon Co.op’s 35th anniversary.
Under the programme, Saigon Co.op’s retail system, in addition to reserving prime places for displaying OCOP products, will also offer promotions to stimulate consumption as well as organise samplings of several products.
This year, Saigon Co.op has begun sales of OCOP products online on its shopping website www.cooponline.vn to make it easier for customers to purchase local specialised products nationwide.
Speaking at the opening ceremony at Co.opmart Hà Nội Highway in HCM City’s Thủ Đức City on Saturday, Võ Trần Ngọc, Saigon Co.op’s sales director, said: “The national OCOP programme has in recent years become a bright spot in the country's agricultural and rural development strategy. The programme has been affirming its significant role in improving product quality and promoting the branding process for Vietnamese agricultural products. Thanks to that, many agricultural products have been upgraded to not only meet domestic demand but also reach out to the international market.”
He said Saigon Co.op’s store chains currently sell more than 500 OCOP products from cooperatives nationwide, including those with geographical indications such as Phú Quốc fish sauce, Tây Ninh rice paper, Cần Giờ pangasius kunyit, Khánh Hòa bird's nest, Đắk Lắk avocado, and Đà lạt tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers, and spices, dry food and nuts.
The products meet three-star and four-star standards, ensuring product quality. A number of OCOP products have been selected to develop into Saigon Co.op’s private label products under the Co.op brand.
He attributed the rapid increase of the OCOP product portfolio in its retail system to the cooperation between Saigon Co.op and various localities following a series of trade link-up activities.
“As the leading cooperative in the country and having stores across 43 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, Saigon Co.op serves as an important bridge to promote consumption of high quality OCOP and agricultural products to customers nationwide through a series of attractive and practical promotions,” he added.
Lê Minh Sang, director of Bình Dương-based Tân Mỹ Fruit Tree Cooperative, which sells pomelo and two kinds of pepper salt powder through Saigon Co.op’s retail system, said the programme would help consumers to understand more about OCOP products and their quality so as to feel more secure in consuming the products. — VNS