What is OCOP? Vietnam’s One Commune, One Product Program

Introduction

A product certified to meet OCOP standards

OCOP is a Vietnamese government program that aims to promote the development of local products. The program was launched in 2018 and is based on the idea of “One Commune One Product.” This means that each commune (a small administrative unit in Vietnam) is encouraged to develop and promote a single product that is unique to its locality.

Empowering local products

The OCOP program aims to develop and enhance the value and quality of one signature product from each commune in Vietnam. This is achieved by leveraging local resources, traditional knowledge, and production techniques, while also improving production processes

The benefits of Vietnam’s OCOP program

Enhancing local incomes: By promoting the production of regional specialties, OCOP helps locals generate a stable income from selling their products.

Empowering consumers with quality products: The OCOP program provides an excellent opportunity for consumers to experience and access high-quality specialties and products from different regions.

Building local brand and image: OCOP products are not just commodities, but also the core of an interesting story and image of that locality, thereby creating a strong brand and introducing the unique culture of that place to the world.

Promoting tourism and local economic development: OCOP products are often closely tied to local identity, which attracts tourists to new lands, increases economic resources, and creates jobs for the community.

Improving product quality and production processes: By participating in the OCOP program, producers need to improve product quality, comply with food safety and hygiene standards, and develop more efficient production processes.

The OCOP product quality assessment

The OCOP product rating system is a five-star system that assesses the quality and potential of Vietnamese products. The system is based on a set of criteria, including product quality and market accessibility to fulfill consumer demands and maximize market potential.

Products are rated on a scale of 1 to 100 points, with 100 being the highest possible score.

How many products have achieved a 5-star OCOP rating in Vietnam?

Map of Vietnamese cities and provinces with 5-Star OCOP products

As of July 2023, 42 products from 24 businesses in Vietnam have been awarded the 5-star national OCOP certification. These products are unique, meet high quality standards, and have the potential to be exported.

Here’s a list of Vietnamese cities and provinces with 5-star OCOP products, all the way down to those with the least.

Ha Noi city

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has 6 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Quang Vinh Ceramic (4 products)

Image: Gốm sứ Quang Vinh 

Ceramic products by the Quang Vinh brand from Gia Lam district, Hanoi. This brand boasts four products that have achieved the prestigious 5-star OCOP rating: the red lotus flower dish set, the swallow and lotus flower dish set, the dragon and phoenix dish set, and the swallow and lotus flower tea set.

“Suoi Ngoc” ceramic collection

Image: Thương Mến/ baophapluat.vn

The “Suoi Ngoc” ceramic collection is crafted by the most skilled artisans of the Tan Thinh ceramic cooperative in Bat Trang, the most famous ceramic village in Vietnam. Using unique traditional ceramic techniques, the artisans have created ceramic products with a jade-like sheen.

Blankets woven by silkworms

Image: VGP/Thiện Tâm

When it comes to weaving, people often think of women diligently sitting by the loom. However, it’s surprising that a woman living in My Duc district, Hanoi, came up with the idea of ​​using silkworms for weaving. With this extremely unique idea, she has “trained” the silkworms in just a few days to weave a silk blanket. Blankets woven by silkworms are highly favored by consumers for their high quality. They have received the prestigious 5-star OCOP certification.

Kien Giang province

Kien Giang province boasts six products that have earned the prestigious 5-star OCOP certification., including:

Phu Quoc – Thanh Quoc fish sauce

Image: Phu Quoc – Thanh Quoc Fish Sauce on Facebook

Phu Quoc Thanh Quoc fish sauce has a storied history spanning over 100 years, passed down through four generations, preserving the family tradition of crafting artisanal fish sauce. Made exclusively with fresh anchovies and pure salt, they produce a premium fish sauce of outstanding quality.

Phu Quoc – Khai Hoan fish sauce

Image: Phu Quoc – Khai Hoan Fish Sauce on Facebook

Hailing from Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, Khai Hoan is a traditional fish sauce producer with over 40 years of experience. Their mission is to keep alive the heritage and unique taste of Vietnamese fish sauce. Khai Hoan’s fish sauce boasts a one-of-a-kind flavor that sets it apart from the rest.

Quang Ninh province

Quang Ninh province has 4 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Ha Long pearl (Akoya pearl, South Sea pearl, Tahitian pearl)

Image: Ha Long Pearl on Facebook

Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Natural Wonder, is renowned by many tourists for its breathtaking natural beauty. This place also boasts precious pearls. 

In 2021, Ha Long Pearl Company received 5-star national OCOP certificates for three products: Akoya pearl sets, South Sea pearl sets, and Tahiti pearl sets. These products boast exceptional purity and come in a variety of luxurious and appealing colors, attributed to the high-quality breeding environment and the integration of science and technology in pearl farming.

Quy Hoa yellow flower tea

Image: Quy Hoa yellow flower tea on Facebook

Quy Hoa Yellow Flower Tea is a special tea brand from Hai Ha district, Quang Ninh province. It is a precious tea with many health benefits and a unique flavor. The planting and harvesting process ensures organic standards.

Ben Tre province

Ben Tre province has 4 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Ben Tre Coconut Candy on Facebook

Ben Tre coconut candy has been a local favorite since 1978. After four decades of crafting delicious treats, it’s become a renowned brand known for its high-quality ingredients and delightful taste.

Binh Phuoc province

Binh Phuoc province has 3 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: HAMY cashew on Facebook

Ha My company, located in Dong Phu district, Binh Phuoc province, produces three delicious cashew nut varieties: salted roasted, unsalted roasted, and white. These cashew nut options have achieved the prestigious 5-star OCOP certification, a testament to their quality. Binh Phuoc boasts the largest area dedicated to cashew cultivation in Vietnam, and Ha My is a leader in transforming these into nutritious and flavorful snacks.

Tra Vinh province

Tra Vinh province has 3 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Sokfarm coconut sugar and Sokfarm coconut nectar

Image: Sokfarm – Tra Vinh Organic Coconut Nectar on Facebook

Both coconut sugar and coconut nectar are produced by the startup Sokfarm. Sokfarm is a manufacturer and exporter of organic coconut nectar products in Vietnam. Coconut nectar is harvested using traditional Khmer techniques in Tra Vinh province. They have a delicious taste and are rich in nutrients and minerals.

VICOSAP wax coconut jam 

Image: Vicosap – san pham dua sap on Facebook

VICOSAP, a startup based in Tra Vinh province’s Cau Ke district, is passionate about macapuno, a local specialty. Founded with a mission to elevate this unique fruit, VICOSAP meticulously researches and processes fresh macapuno into high-value products. Among their creations, the most remarkable is the wax coconut jam, a testament to their commitment to maximizing the fruit’s potential.

Ha Giang province

Ha Giang province has 2 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Fin ho tra on Facebook

Fin Ho green tea and Fin Ho black tea are products of the Phin Ho Tea Cooperative, located in Hoang Su Phi district, Ha Giang province. Here, amidst the Phin Ho mountain peak, rising over 1,300 meters above sea level, the area is enveloped in clouds year-round, with a refreshing, cool climate. On this mountain, ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees, hundreds of years old, are used to produce two exceptional teas: Fin Ho green tea and Fin Ho black tea.

Thai Nguyen province

Thai Nguyen province has 2 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Hao Dat green tea

Image: Che Tan Cuong Hao Dat on Facebook

Hao Dat green tea is meticulously crafted, with only the finest tea buds carefully selected by experienced artisans at the peak of freshness, and harvested at the optimal time of day. The processing ensures stringent standards, resulting in a tea with a uniquely distinctive flavor.

Viet Cuong arrowroot vermicelli

Image: Mien Viet Cuong on Facebook

Arrowroot vermicelli, a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish, is made from arrowroot starch. In Thai Nguyen province, Viet Cuong village has earned national fame for its exceptional arrowroot vermicelli production. The Viet Cuong brand represents these high-quality noodles crafted in the village.

Lam Dong province

Lam Dong province has 2 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: ladophar.com

Made from fresh Artichoke, Ladoactiso liquid extract is a high-quality product that preserves the artichoke’s natural health benefits.

Image: ladophar.com

Artichoke tea by Nhat Diep Nguyen Huong is a product that preserves the refreshing natural aroma and the mild sweet-bitter taste of artichokes perfectly.

An Giang province

An Giang province has 2 products that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: loctroi.vn

Tien Nu rice and Thien Vuong rice are grown in the fertile fields of An Giang province, with meticulous care throughout the process. As a result, rice cooked from these two varieties is wonderfully fragrant and has a delightful texture.

Son La province

Son La province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Ca Phe Bich Thao Son La on Facebook

Bich Thao coffee from Son La province is of the Arabica variety, beloved by customers for its smooth acidity, mild bitterness, and the fruity aroma of local fruits such as mangoes and bananas.

Bac Kan province

Bac Kan province has 1 product that have achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Mien Dong Tai Hoan on Facebook

In the midst of the mountainous forests of Na Rì district, Bac Kan province, lies the Tai Hoan arrowroot vermicelli factory. Since 1960, locals have been crafting arrowroot vermicelli here, using indigenous ingredients and time-honored recipes, resulting in the unmistakable flavor of Tai Hoan’s signature vermicelli.

Thanh Hoa province

Thanh Hoa province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Mam Le Gia on Facebook

Made with delicious fresh shrimp from the Thanh Hoa sea, Le Gia shrimp paste is created by mixing the shrimp with pure sea salt and fermenting it in wooden barrels for 12 months. This traditional method results in a violet thick paste with a strong smell. Renowned throughout Vietnam, Le Gia shrimp paste is present in many famous Vietnamese dishes.

Soc Trang province

Soc Trang province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

ST24 rice is a renowned product of Soc Trang province. It boasts exceptional qualities compared to other rice varieties, such as long-grain standards (approximately 9mm), and white, translucent grains that cook into soft and sticky rice with a fragrant aroma. It is certified to meet USDA and EU organic standards.

Phu Tho province

Phu Tho province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: hoaitrungtea.com

Steeped in tradition, “Hoai Trung Premium dinh Tea” blends three special tea varietals nurtured in the misty hills of Thanh Ba District. Innovative processing methods give this exceptional product a truly unique taste.

Dong Thap province

Dong Thap province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Nam Huy Dong Thap on Facebook

Made with carefully selected lotus seeds sourced from lotus ponds across Dong Thap province, Nam Huy dried lotus seeds are a delicious treat. The combination of lotus seeds, vegetable oil, and sugar is vacuum-dried to create a product with a sweet, crispy texture and a fragrant lotus aroma.

Nghe An province

Nghe An province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including:

Image: Trân Châu/baonghean.vn

Duc Phong’s woven bamboo hanging lamps are handcrafted by skilled artisans in Vietnam’s Nghệ An province. These lamps seamlessly blend traditional and modern design, making them not only durable and beautiful but also eco-friendly – a quality cherished by customers.

Kon Tum province

Kon Tum province has 1 product that has achieved the 5-star OCOP certification, including: