The south-eastern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau plans to have by 2025 at least 150 products rated no less than three stars under the country’s “One Commune-One Product” programme.

It would prioritise co-operatives and small and medium-sized enterprises for the purpose, with the former accounting for at least 20 per cent of the products, according to its People’s Committee.

It aims to train all officials responsible for implementing the programme at the district and commune levels and enterprises, co-operatives, co-operative groups, and households that register for participation in producing OCOP products.

It also aims to have at least five OCOP items related to community-based tourism and tourism destinations.

Under the OCOP programme, items are rated between one and five stars and include foods, souvenirs, furniture, and herbal medicinal, agricultural and tourism products.

To achieve the targets, the People’s Committee will take measures such as strengthening advocacy and trade promotion, developing linkages among OCOP producers and sellers, and digitising the programme.

It has instructed relevant departments, agencies and localities to scrupulously implement the programme, and tasked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development with regularly checking and evaluating implementation.

The department is also responsible for advocating the programme, developing OCOP products and providing training for officials managing it and producers.

The programme has helped develop the economy and improve rural incomes.

Vu Ngoc Dang, deputy head of the province's Rural Development Sub-department, said there are now 89 OCOP products with at least three stars.

Chau Duc District alone accounts for 48 of them, including 20 rated four stars and 28 rated three, he said.

This year, the district opened a showroom, the first of its kind in the province, to display its OCOP and other specialities.

It showcases more than 30 OCOP products, including cordyceps tea and cereal made by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Hi-tech Agriculture Co-operative and organic black chocolate, cacao power and cacao husk tea by the Thanh Dat T-S-M Chocolate Co., Ltd.

Le Hoa Binh, director of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Hi-tech Agriculture Co-operative, said the showroom provides a big opportunity for OCOP producers and would help them find partners to expand their market and popularise their brands at home and abroad. VNS