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The Hanoitimes – The city’s authorities will promote production of handicraft products.

Hanoi will set up 30-40 new showrooms displaying and selling products developed under the national One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.

A OCOP showroom in Thanh Tri district, Hanoi. Photo: kinhtedothi

This is an important target mentioned in the city’s plan on the development of OCOP showrooms associated with craft village tourism in Hanoi in 2021.

Under the plan, the city’s authorities will promote production and sale of handicraft products, especially OCOP products, typical rural industrial items, and those with market potential in the capital, provinces and cities nationwide.

According to the plan, each district/town will have two operating OCOP showrooms or more.

The municipal People’s Committee will conduct a survey to find locations of OCOP showrooms according to regulations.

The committee has also required departments and localities to inspect and supervise the operation of OCOP showrooms opened in 2020 and 2021, organize promotional programs to enhance the consumption of quality products, including those from provinces and cities nationwide.

As of 2020, Hanoi had completed a similar process for 630 OCOP products achieving 3-star rating and above.

The city targets to complete the evaluation and classification for at least 2,000 OCOP products by 2025, Director of the municipal Department of Agricultural and Rural Development Chu Phu My told a conference taking stock of the OCOP program last year. In the coming time, the city will continue to push for greater efficiency in the implementation of the program.

The Hanoitimes – To date, Hanoi has completed a similar process for 630 OCOP products achieving 3-star rating and above, exceeding the target of having at least 500 OCOP products.

For the next five years, Hanoi targets to complete the evaluation and classification process for at least 2,000 products under the national’s One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program.

Hanoi leaders visit display section of OCOP products. Photo: Trong Tung.

Director of the municipal Department of Agricultural and Rural Development Chu Phu My announced the plan at a conference taking stock of the OCOP program in 2020 on December 25.

To date, Hanoi has completed a similar process for 630 OCOP products achieving 3-star rating and above, exceeding the target of having at least 500 OCOP products.

Along with the development of OCOP products, Hanoi has launched 13 OCOP showrooms in the city and organized four OCOP trade promotion events for products from northern mountainous, Red river delta, central highlands, and southern region.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen said in the coming time, the city will continue to push for greater efficiency in the implementation of the OCOP program.

“Hanoi is expected to continue cooperating with other provinces/cities in promoting trade and taking the OCOP products from all over Vietnam to distribution channels,” he noted.

From December 25–27, Hanoi will launch an exhibition fair to showcase OCOP products at the Cultural Friendship Palace, located at 91 Tran Hung Dao street, Hoan Kiem district.

The OCOP program, with a view to honoring prominent craft villages’ goods and products, has been identified by Hanoi’s authorities as one of the solutions to boost domestic consumption at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is causing severe consequences on the local economy.

The Hanoitimes – The One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, which has been implemented since 2019, has created a breakthrough in rural economic development in Hanoi.

Permanent Deputy Chief of the Hanoi Office of New Rural Development Program Coordination Nguyen Van Chi talked to Hanoitimes about how to effectively implement the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.

OCOP products on display at a promotion fair. Photo: Hoai Nam

Could you name some outstanding results from the implementation of the OCOP program in Hanoi?

Implementing the prime minister’s decision, the Hanoi People’s Committee immediately issued a concrete plan to roll out the OCOP program for the 2019 – 2020 period. In 2019, Hanoi had 301 OCOP products, including six products submitted for being labeled with five stars.

In 2020, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, localities have made great efforts to promote the program. So far this year, 147 products from five districts and towns have been evaluated and classified as OCOP ones.

For five-star products, Hanoi will support and submit them for evaluation and inclusion in the national OCOP list. In addition, the city maps out a policy of upgrading the rating of all OCOP products, those of three stars to four stars, and those of four stars to five stars.

In the process of implementing the OCOP program, what difficulties are entities in Hanoi facing?

In fact, the production scale of the facilities is still small. As products are mainly semi processed, we are building an investment project for deep processing to improve the quality of products. The local handicraft industry is causing strong environmental pollution, thus, Hanoi has requested departments, branches and localities to focus on environmental impact assessment to draw up solutions. Design and the quality of products also need to be improved in the coming time.

Design and the quality of products also need to be improved in the coming time.

What solution does Hanoi have to address the consumption of OCOP products?

In addition to consulting and assisting the businesses to improve the quality of products for evaluation at all levels, in the OCOP product development cycle, Hanoi has also focused on promoting sales. In 2020, Hanoi has issued a plan to organize four events to promote, introduce and sell OCOP products with provinces in the Northern mountainous, Red River Delta, Central – Central Highlands and Southern regions.

Due to the impact of Covid-19, the implementation progress has been slower than expected. However, we have managed to organize three events recently. The remaining event will be held in December 2020. Through the evaluation of the Vietnam Retailers Association, after three trade networking events, about 65% of the memoranda of understanding to sell OCOP products in distribution channels have been effectively implemented.

What are your suggestions to effectively implement the program?

We are aware of the importance of the quality management of OCOP products. The city has conducted four inspections and evaluations of those who have been granted OCOP product certificates. Any business that fail to comply with quality standards will see its certificate revoked. In fact, the implementation process in the past period shows that localities are very active in upgrading the quality of OCOP products. Entities are also aware of the importance of OCOP-labeled products. This will be the premise for Hanoi to complete the objective of the OCOP program to ensure the criteria of quantity and quality.

Thank you for the interview with Hanoitimes!

The Hanoitimes – Effective implementation of the OCOP program helps localities realize their potential in economic development and promote tourism, said a local official.

To date, Hanoi has set up nine showrooms across the city to promote and sell products under the national’s One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, with a view to honoring prominent craft villages’ goods. The showrooms not only help bring high quality products to local customers, but also contribute to economic development in rural areas.

Hanoi’s leaders visit an OCOP showroom. Photo: Hoang Quyet.

Under the instruction of the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the municipal Department of Industry and Trade has identified multiple locations to set up OCOP showrooms in Hanoi during the 2019 – 2020 period.

In October, the Department in collaboration with Gia Lam district People’s Committee launched an OCOP showroom to boost sales of local products and promote tourism at traditional craft villages in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district.

The showroom is located within an area known as the Quintessence of the Vietnamese craft village of Quang Vinh Pottery Company in Bat Trang commune, which showcases Hanoi’s unique craft products, such as those made from porcelain, pottery, rattan or bamboo.

Vice Chairman of Gia Lam district People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Hong said the OCOP program has significantly contributed to the locality’s efforts in building new-style rural areas, in turn raising people’s living standards and ensuring high economic growth of the district.

Mr. Hong added the district is home to five craft villages, including the well-known Bat Trang village. In 2019, 19 products from the district were qualified as OCOP products, including pottery and porcelain items, fresh vegetables and processed food.

“Effective implementation of the OCOP program helps localities realize their potential in economic development and promote tourism among domestic and foreign tourists,” Mr. Hong suggested.

OCOP products on display. Photo: Hoang Quyet.

Expanding OCOP showroom network in Hanoi

Vice Director of Hanoi’s Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan said in 2019, Hanoi has around 301 products rated by OCOP with three stars and above. This year, it is estimated an additional 800 products would be classified with three star-rating and above, requiring more OCOP showrooms to be set up.

To realize this goal, the department is cooperating with a number of districts, including Ha Dong, Gia Lam, Quoc Oai, and Son Tay, among others, as well as shopping malls, and supermarkets to set up OCOP showrooms and promote craft and agritourism.

Ms. Lan said the department targets to have 60–70 OCOP showrooms in 2021, which would form a distribution network of OCOP products and expand its market shares in the city.

The Hanoitimes – Vietnam keeps an eye on the developments in Myanmar and hopes that the country will soon stabilize the situation to maintain the national development for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region,

Vietnam has raised voice shortly after top leaders of Myanmar were detained by the military.

Spokesperson of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. Photo: MOFA

“As a regional neighbor and an ASEAN member, Vietnam keeps an eye on the developments in Myanmar and hopes that the country will soon stabilize the situation to maintain the national development for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region, continuing its contribution to the building of the ASEAN Community,” Spokesperson of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement on February 1, the same day of a coup in Myanmar.

In early morning raids Monday, Myanmar’s military has taken control of the country and declared a state of emergency after detaining State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and other senior government leaders.

The military confirmed it had detained the country’s de facto civilian leader Suu Kyi, along with other high ranking National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders, in response to alleged voting irregularities in November’s election.

Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV), Myanmar’s state-owned and most widely accessible television and radio stations, announced a year-long state of emergency on Monday.

The world’s top leaders, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, US State Secretary Antony Blinken, White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne have raised concerns over the situation, calling for immediate release of the arrestees.

The Hanoitimes – The OCOP program, with a view to honoring prominent craft villages’ goods and products, has been identified by Hanoi’s authorities as one of the solutions to boost domestic consumption.

Hanoi is committed to creating favorable conditions for other provinces/cities to sell their products under the national’s One Commune One Product (OCOP) program in the capital city.

Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen made the statement at the trade promotion event for OCOP products from southern region on December 18.

Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen at the event. Photo: Pham Hung.

The OCOP program, with a view to honoring prominent craft villages’ goods and products, has been identified by Hanoi’s authorities as one of the solutions to boost domestic consumption at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is causing severe consequences on the local economy.

To date, Hanoi has completed the evaluation and classification for 630 OCOP products achieving 3-star rating and above, noted, Mrs. Tuyen.

“The city is cooperating with other provinces/cities to promote OCOP products across the country to both domestic and international customers,” she added.

This year, the agricultural sector has emerged as a driving force for Hanoi’s economic development, posting a  growth rate of 4.2% year-on-year, which is considered high, Mrs. Tuyen added.

Delegates visit OCOP products display section. Photo: Pham Hung.

During the 2018-20 period, Hanoi allocated VND82 billion (US$3.54 million) to classify 800-1,000 goods and products under the OCOP program and acknowledge other 500 as OCOP products. So far, 630 products have been classified as OCOP products, exceeding the original target.

Along with the development of OCOP products, Hanoi has launched 13 OCOP showrooms in the city and organized four OCOP trade promotion events for products from northern mountainous, Red river delta, central highlands, and southern region.

Visitors at the event. Photo: Pham Hung.

Under the instruction of Hanoi’s leaders, the municipal Department of Agricultural and Rural Development hosted four conferences on connecting supply – demand of OCOP products, which have resulted in 500 contracts signed for distribution of agricultural productsin Hanoi’s market.