Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Coordination Office of New Rural Area Construction Program, shared with Hanoimoi Newspaper about the promotion of the city's OCOP program in 2024.

Hanoi has evaluated and classified 544 products under the OCOP Classification Program in 2023. What are the novelties in the implementation of the program?

Hanoi hosted a week-long exhibition of OCOP agricultural products in Ha Dong District last year. Photo: Thoi Nguyen/ The Hanoi Times

In 2023, Hanoi assigned its districts and towns to evaluate 400 OCOP products. Notably, 26 districts and towns classified 544 products, including 20 districts and towns that graded 104 potential four-star products. There were 50 products that underwent reassessment and 54 products that were evaluated for the first time.

Previously, the evaluation criteria for OCOP products were based on the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1048/QD-TTg. This year, the evaluation of OCOP products follows the new criteria of the Prime Minister's Decision No. 148/QD-TTg, which includes the requirement for products to have intellectual property certification. Therefore, many previous four-star OCOP products that lacked this certification will need to be reevaluated.

To cope with this huge amount of tasks, the Hanoi Coordination Office of the New Rural Development Program has proposed that the Department of Science and Technology, in cooperation with districts, towns and participating units, issue intellectual property certificates with upgrading four-star products and potential five-star products in the city.

How has the quality of OCOP evaluated and classified products changed from previous years?

Since 2022, the city has focused on evaluating OCOP products in deep processing and handicrafts while evaluating fresh products to a lesser extent. This shift has led to an increase in the value of certified products.

In addition, the evaluation and classification of OCOP products in 2023 for district-level (three-star) OCOP products involved not only district-level council members, but also city departments and sectors, such as the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Natural Resources and Environment, and Health, and the Coordination Office of the New Rural Development Program.

Participation in the evaluation and monitoring of all processes and procedures for product classification will ensure the quality of three-star OCOP products at the district level.

How will the city ensure product quality for evaluated and approved OCOP products through inspection and monitoring?

Nguyen Van Chi, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Coordination Office of New Rural Area Construction Program. Photo: VNA

In 2023, the city implemented the evaluation and classification of four-star OCOP products. Among them, many products have been and are being distributed in the domestic and international markets, such as Minh Duong vermicelli (Hoai Duc District) and West Lake Lotus Tea in Tay Ho District, produced by the family of artisan Ngo Van Xiem. In particular, lotus tea has been served by central agencies at international tea parties.

We regularly check the quality of recognized OCOP products and support their expansion in processing scale, labeling, and packaging to add value. Specifically, for four-star OCOP products in 2024, we will help units design standardized patterns and packaging for better recognition.

Currently, Hanoi has more than 2,700 OCOP products, the highest number in the country. What is the city doing to promote product consumption in 2024?

As part of the OCOP program, Hanoi is aware that promoting trade and finding markets for products is the most important issue. The city hosts about four OCOP events a year with products from cultural regions across the country. This provides favorable opportunities for OCOP enterprises from Hanoi and other regions to increase sales in the capital market. It also serves as a platform for exchanging experiences and promoting OCOP products to a wide range of consumers.

Since 2023, the city has focused on promoting the export of OCOP products abroad. In March 2023, we showcased OCOP products at a trade fair in Germany. In early December 2023, the city sent eight handicraft enterprises to Italy, a leading retail market in Europe.

During this visit, the European Craft Association provided design support for Hanoi's silk and embroidery products to ensure that the exported products meet the tastes of European consumers.

Building on last year's achievements, in 2024 the city will continue to support cooperatives and farmers to produce more high-quality products with export potential to boost international trade.

Hanoi's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to sign contracts with Swedish partners to design the city's OCOP product models and integrate the city's artisanal villages into the global handicraft network.

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