Hoa Binh province currently has 158 products granted at least three stars under the "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme, including 114 food products. Among them, there are five aquatic products given four stars. They have gradually won consumers’ trust and created a new livelihood development trend for farmers and businesses in rural areas across the province.
The Hai Dang Fishery Products Co. Ltd. frequently
takes part in fairs in Hoa Binh province and other localities to market its
products made from the Da River’s fish.
Over the past years, aside from issuing support
policies for the sustainable development of cage fish farming and successfully
building the brands of "Ca Song Da - Hoa Binh” (Fish from the Da River - Hoa
Binh) and "Tom Song Da - Hoa Binh” (Shrimp from the Da River - Hoa Binh), the
province has stepped up the development of OCOP aquatic products, thus
practically benefiting product marketing and sale.
Fish farming has long been practiced in Tien
Phong commune of Da Bac district as five of this commune’s hamlets are adjacent
to the Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir. However, due to sale difficulties and
lack of access to scientific and technical advances, the activity was not a
main source of livelihood for local residents.
In early 2023, the Da Giang Eco Cooperative was
set up to boost production and sale connectivity among fish farming households
in Tien Phong, helping ensure stable income for many. The same year, the black
carp, black bagridae, and "ca ngach” (Cranoglanis bouderius) products from the
Da River were recognised as three-star OCOP products, giving further
encouragement to the development of cage fish farming here.
Director of the cooperative Xa Ngoc Hung said
the OCOP recognition has provided a more favourable condition for the
cooperative to market products. As a result, the value of products has been
increased, farmers’ income improved, and a sustainable development direction
created for local aquatic products.
There are currently 10 aquatic product
processing and preserving establishments in the province, comprising three
companies, one cooperative, and six business households. Meanwhile, Hoa Binh
now has five aquatic products (fish fillet and fish floss) granted four stars
under the OCOP programme.
Agricultural authorities said OCOP products are
assessed and classified according to the national criteria, which cover many
aspects such as quality, community value, cultural value, and production and
trading capacity of their owners.
Therefore, the sector is piloting some cage fish
farming models applying the VietGAP standards, developing more OCOP products to
improve quality and value, boosting connectivity among stakeholders under value
chains, and promoting concentrated and large-scaled production, said Luong
Thanh Hai, head of the sub-department of fisheries.
As of October 2024, there were 4,987 fish cages
across the province, expected to generate an output of 10,000 tonnes worth 600
billion VND (23.7 million USD) this year. Fourteen aquaculture establishments
with 1,067 cages have received VietGAP certificates, producing about 2.1 tonnes
of products each year.
Meanwhile, the annual amount of processed
aquatic products stands at about 850 tonnes, equivalent to just 11.33% of the
total farmed and caught output in Hoa Binh Lake, according to the
sub-department of fisheries.
Leveraging the local natural advantages, ethnic minority people in Da Bac district have promoted forest economy development in recent years. This approach not only enhances forest conservation but also boosts residents’ income.
Proactively implementing solutions to ensure the supply of agricultural products for domestic and foreign markets as well as for export, the provincial agricultural sector and localities have encouraged and guided farmers to increase production, promote linkages, and actively monitor weather developments for prompt response to protect production.
In the first 9 months of 2024, the Provincial People's Committee directed the appropriate authorities to receive and process 3,029 turns of records.
The People’s Committee of Lac Son district held a market in the resettlement zone of Dom Bai hamlet, Mien Doi commune, on October 26 - 27 to exhibit, introduce, and promote the sale of "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) and typical products of Lac Son district. The event also offered visitors a chance to enjoy natural scenic landscapes.
A movement to promote the proactive engagement of women in the study, creative labour and building prosperous and happy families is spreading more and more widely in the local women’s unions in Hoa Binh, attracting a large number of women. Bui Thi Xiem, Director of Thien Loi An medicinal herbs cooperative in Kim Boi commune, Kim Boi district, emerges as one of typical examples in implementing the movement.
A project to build the Cuoi Ha ecological urban and entertainment area and cable car system in Kim Boi and Cuoi Ha communes is one of the two major projects of Hoa Binh in Kim Boi district. Currently, the local administration is working to speed up ground clearance for the project and the construction of resettlement areas for affected people, thus supporting the investor in implementing the project.