Ha Nam: Enhance the value of OCOP guava products

With superior product quality compared to other growing areas, Taiwanese guava and pear products of Danh Noi Clean Agricultural Cooperative are popular with consumers in the market. Researching at Ms. Do Thi Chuyen's family, a member of the cooperative, it is known that in 2017, she planted a Taiwanese guava pear tree (the earliest in the area), with an area of ​​1 acre of ineffective high-core rice land. Thanks to choosing safe planting methods and using all organic fertilizers to fertilize the plants, her guava products have good quality and are popular with consumers in the world favorite area.

In 2019, to meet consumer needs, Ms. Chuyen continued to rent more land from people in the village who no longer needed production to expand the Taiwan guava pear growing area to 3 hectares, located in the planned transition area. Changing the commune’s fruit tree planting. The Taiwan guava pear tree is suitable for the local soil and climate, the tree grows well, has high and stable productivity. At harvest time, on average each day, Chuyen sells 300 - 500 kg of fruit to the market, with 700 - 800 kg on peak days. On average, each acres of land planted with Taiwanese guava and pear trees has a value of 15 - 17 million VND/year, minus costs (land rent, seeds, fertilizers...), achieving a profit of 10 million VND/acre/year, high. 5 times more than previous rice cultivation.

According to Ms. Do Thi Chuyen, planting Taiwanese guava and pear trees on high rice land is the right development direction. Farmers in guava growing areas are maintaining production and striving to further promote the effectiveness of Taiwanese guava pear OCOP products.

Although the quality and output are quite favorable, Taiwanese guava and pear products of Danh Noi Clean Agricultural Cooperative are still facing some difficulties and limitations. Currently, the majority of products are sold in the free market, mostly to regular customers in the province. Therefore, this leads to unstable selling prices depending on the harvest time of the year. On holidays and New Year, the cooperative’s Taiwanese guava pears are sold for 30 thousand VND/kg, the rest are mainly sold at 15 - 20 thousand VND/kg.Also because they are sold in the free market, manufacturers basically have not used traceability labels to increase product value. Therefore, even regular customers do not know that this is an OCOP product, manufactured according to processes and safety standards...

Ms. Pham Thi Loan, a resident of Hoa Ngai village (Thanh Ha - Thanh Liem) often buys Taiwanese guava pears from Ms. Chuyen, sharing: This type of guava is often sold locally. If it tastes delicious, you should buy it. If the product is stamped with the OCOP stamp, our consumers will be even better more assured.

In fact, Taiwanese guava and pear products achieving OCOP of Danh Noi Clean Agricultural Cooperative as well as other OCOP products are supported by all levels and functional agencies to participate in fairs, product introduction and promotion programs. both inside and outside the province. Through these events, many customers have sought to buy products, and some stores and supermarkets have approached to find sources of goods.

However, because it does not meet the requirements of stable supply of product, it affects the value and output of the product. Regarding this issue, Mr. Hoang Tien Luc, Chairman of Thanh Huong Commune Farmers’ Association said: Although the cooperative was established, the members do not have a close connection in the production and consumption of products. Therefore, the product cannot reach reputable contacts to enhance its value.

Thus, in order for the Taiwanese guava and pear products of Danh Noi Clean Agricultural Cooperative to be effective, there needs to continue to be a change in production thinking towards commodity and focus of each member of the cooperative. Thereby, helping to create cohesion in promotion and consumption to enhance product value.