 Mushroom production at Phung Gia Mushroom Company (Photo: VOV) |
In 2017, after ending a labor contract in South Korea, the three Phung brothers of Binh Xuyen district started a company to grow mushrooms following a modern agricultural model.
In the beginning the Phùng Gia Mushroom Company encountered many difficulties, but after almost 6 years in operation, the company now harvests 2 tons of mushrooms per day, earning 2.6 million USD a year.
Phung Duc Cuong, the company’s Deputy Director, said their mushroom products are manufactured in line with VietGap standards and have obtained a 4-star OCOP certificate.
“By participating in the OCOP program, we hope to receive support in capital and paperwork to expand our production scale,” said Cuong.
As an early participant in the OCOP program, the Tam Dao Bee Company in Dao Duc commune has 13 products certified as 4-star OCOP products and manufactured on a production line that follows GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) regulations. Each year, the company produces 160 tons of honey for the domestic market and exports 600 tons.
According to Tran Van Tuy, CEO of the Tam Dao Bee Company, the OCOP program has improved the product brand.
“The biggest effect of participating in the program is that over the past 2 years consumers have learned about OCOP products and put high confidence in 4-star products. Businesses participating in supermarket chains gain lots of advantages,” said Tuy.
Prior to joining the OCOP program, Vinh Phuc’s agricultural products were not widely known.
 Honey products (Photo: VOV) |
Since the program was implemented 4 years ago, Vinh Phuc province has had 105 agricultural products certified as meeting OCOP standards, of which 26 have achieved a 4-star rating, the highest, and another 79 have earned a 3-star rating. Many products, including Tam Dao yellow flower tea, cordyceps roberti mushrooms, and Tam Dao honey, have earned the trust of consumer.
Despite these achievements, there are still some hurdles to be overcome. Firstly support mechanisms and policies for the OCOP program underdeveloped. Second, with too little trade promotion for OCOP products and no specific strategy, Vinh Phuc hasn’t created a brand or a stable outlet for its products.
Phung Xuan Tien, Deputy Chief of the provincial Coordination Office for New Rural Development, said all sectors at all levels are interested in making sure their products meet OCOP standards.
“We have plans to coordinate with relevant departments to check product labels, and do random checks for OCOP certified items to see if they comply or not. If not, there will be fines or a withdrawal of certification for non-compliant products,” Tien noted.
The One Commune One Product program aims to develop Vietnam’s rural economy by promoting agricultural products that are based on local resources. This is the direction Vinh Phuc province has chosen to develop its agricultural economy sustainably.