Building OCOP products at Phu Dien High-tech Agricultural Cooperative

The vast fields in Phong Kim village, Phu Dien commune (Nam Sach) are changing every day thanks to the high-tech agricultural model. Greenhouses and net houses with high-quality crops are bringing a new breeze to agriculture here. These big changes all come from the Phu Dien High-Tech and Organic Agriculture Cooperative (Phu Dien High-Tech Cooperative).

Although only established and put into operation for about 3 years, Phu Dien High-Tech Cooperative has made great strides to build its brand and reputation in the market. The cooperative currently has 3 hectares of milk grapes and baby cucumbers, melons, zucchini and some seasonal leafy vegetables. All crops are grown organically. Korean milk grapes and baby cucumbers are the two main products that the cooperative has invested in to develop.

Baby Cucumber is the first product of the cooperative to be recognized as a 3-star OCOP product in 2022. Currently, the cooperative has 2,700m²greenhouses, net houses for growing cucumbers. Cucumbers are grown organically, regularly supplemented with beneficial microorganisms for the soil and plants. Thanks to that, the product quality is highly appreciated by consumers. The cooperative's products are consumed in clean food store chains. Each year with 3 cucumber crops, the cooperative earns hundreds of millions of dong in profit.

The cooperative is also proud to own the largest Korean milk grape garden in Vietnam with 2,000 trees on a total area of ​​2 hectares in Phu Dien commune. However, this is not the cooperative's only grape garden. Before investing in growing milk grapes in Phu Dien, the cooperative had tested and successfully grown the milk grape model in Vinh Phuc province with an area of ​​7,200m²Currently, milk grapes yield 25 bunches/tree, each bunch weighs from 0.6 - 1 kg, the appearance and sweetness of the fruit are similar to milk grapes grown in Korea. The product is sold right in the garden at a price of about 350,000 VND/kg for visitors to visit and experience.

Thanks to the success of the above model, the cooperative has just rented land to grow milk grapes on a large scale in Hai Duong with an investment cost of nearly ten billion VND. After more than a year of planting, the trees have borne fruit and are expected to be harvested at the end of July.

To ensure quality, in the first crop, the cooperative pruned the grapes to ensure that each tree only retained about 20 bunches, each bunch weighing about 0.7 - 0.8 kg. Controlling the number of fruits in the first year is to nourish the tree, increasing fruit yield for the following years. With Korean milk grapes, although the initial investment cost is high, the tree has a lifespan of 20 - 25 years, and the yield also increases gradually with the age of the tree.

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thuy, Director of Phu Dien High-Tech and Organic Agriculture Cooperative, said: “Milk grapes are a new crop with a huge investment cost, so to ensure safety, the cooperative has connected with a Korean enterprise to transfer standard seedlings and scientific and technical measures for care. With a large growing area and grape output, it is necessary to have a wide consumption market and a plan to preserve agricultural products. The cooperative is building a cold storage with an area of ​​500m2.²for preservation. Korean milk grapes are also being developed as an OCOP product of Nam Sach district in 2024. This will be a high-end product of the cooperative in the coming years."