Developing OCOP products under the green economy model

In the new phase, the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program is oriented toward green development in association with ecological agriculture, the circular economy, and the goal of achieving net-zero emissions. Accordingly, the OCOP product development program focuses on establishing clean raw material zones and applying environmentally friendly technologies in processing.

Workers process products at the Toan Thang Agarwood Facility in Long Khanh Ward.

Dong Nai City aims to develop OCOP products in conjunction with the National Target Program on New-style Rural Area Development. Specifically, the city will focus on setting goals and solutions to improve product quality, raise star ratings, and enhance the added value of OCOP products. In particular, priority will be given to developing products through value chains that link processing with the establishment of green raw material zones, the circular economy, and environmental protection.

Adapting to new consumer trends

The OCOP Program aims to develop agricultural, non-agricultural, and service products that capitalize on local advantages through value chains. The goal is for each commune to create at least one key competitive product, with a view to building brands linked to market development. Therefore, the OCOP Program is identified as a solid foundation for building new-style rural areas.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about quality, food safety, and environmental impacts. These new requirements are influencing the production orientation of OCOP entities, linking production with the development of traceable agricultural raw material zones associated with organic, ecological, resource-efficient, and green agriculture. In the evaluation and appraisal of OCOP products, factors such as green production, the use of environmentally friendly packaging, and the use of recycled materials are highly valued to ensure the sustainability of OCOP product development.

In recent times, the city's OCOP Program has developed in greater depth, focusing on quality and food safety in association with brand building and becoming a highlight of rural economic development. The OCOP Program is undergoing a strong transformation toward green economy and circular economy models, in line with consumption trends in both domestic and export markets.

Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment

Dong Nai City aims to develop local OCOP products in line with the goals and tasks of the National Target Program on New-style Rural Area Development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the 2026-2030 period, as well as the local orientation for rural economic development. This includes focusing on setting goals and solutions to improve quality, raise star ratings, add value, and enhance the distinctiveness, competitiveness, and market accessibility of OCOP products. Priority will be given to developing specialty and distinctive products with clear origins and local characteristics, as well as to products linked to raw material zones, craft villages, traditional culture, rural tourism, the green economy, the circular economy, and environmental protection.

Scaling up the green OCOP model

To date, the city has 451 recognized OCOP products from 272 entities, including 86 enterprises, 116 establishments and household businesses, 53 cooperatives, and 17 cooperative groups. Of these, 11 are five-star products, and 89 are four-star products, while the remainder are three-star products. Many OCOP products have also transitioned to green and circular economy models.

Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd. in Phu Hoa Commune is a leading enterprise in the city, with processed products that have achieved the national five-star OCOP rating. It is also a pioneering enterprise in green and circular agriculture. The company has established a large-scale cocoa-growing area with hundreds of hectares under cultivation in the city, alongside investment in deep processing. The enterprise directly purchases fresh cocoa pods from farmers for processing. Significant amounts of agricultural waste and by-products are generated during processing. Cocoa shells alone amount to approximately 6,000 tons per year, and the figure is expected to increase to about 10,000 tons per year over the next five years.

To address the difficult challenge of waste treatment in cocoa production, Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd. and Japan’s Tromso Joint Stock Company are collaborating to develop the Cocoa Shell Treatment for Biochar Production Project in association with a circular agriculture model, emission-reduction farming, and environmental protection.

Dang Tuong Khanh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Ca Cao Trong Duc Co., Ltd., said large quantities of cocoa shell waste are generated during preliminary processing and production and are usually composted for use as fertilizer. However, this disposal method is difficult to implement due to the large volume of cocoa shells. The company is collaborating to apply Japanese technology to produce biochar from cocoa shells. The biochar is applied to the soil to improve nutrient availability and soil aeration. Through the project, farmers benefit from using biochar to cultivate their crops organically. Cocoa shells are thus transformed into high-value biochar instead of becoming waste that causes environmental pollution. At the same time, the enterprise uses heat generated by burning cocoa shells to dry, roast, and grind cocoa beans, thereby increasing the economic value of its processing activities.

The Toan Thang Agarwood Facility in Long Khanh Ward currently produces 30 agarwood handicraft products, three of which have been granted OCOP certification. The facility has followed the green OCOP model since the development of its raw material zones. To date, it has established an 11-hectare nursery of selected mother Aquilaria trees and has partnered with many farmers to expand the area under Aquilaria cultivation to nearly 70 hectares. All Aquilaria plantations in the value chain follow green agricultural practices, adopting cultivation methods that work in harmony with nature while limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Pham Xuan Toan, owner of the Toan Thang Agarwood Facility, said traditional Aquilaria trees are grafted with scions of an Aquilaria variety from Hainan Island, China, producing a new variety with many outstanding advantages. This Aquilaria variety begins forming agarwood just three years after grafting and can be harvested after about six to seven years. With this new variety, the facility uses physical methods that closely simulate the natural process of agarwood formation, resulting in products with economic value many times higher than those produced using artificial methods to induce agarwood formation.

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho