A pavilion at the first-ever livestream promoting products of Hà Nội’s “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme was held early this month.— Photo courtesy of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has been supporting farmers, cooperatives, and enterprises to promote the consumption of farming products via modern distribution channels in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy director of the department Nguyễn Ngọc Sơn said that, to expand the agricultural product market, the department has strengthened the connection between Hà Nội and other provinces and cities in consuming safe agricultural products.

Of which, it has cooperated with Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade to support localities’ trade promotion activities in the capital city to increase the consumption of agricultural and seafood products.

“Besides that, the department has also organised direct connection activities among manufacturers - distributors - consumers in the city, and launched the website https://chonhaminh.gov.vn to promote connections on the e-commerce platform,” Sơn said.

“Hà Nội has also supported businesses in building and advertising their brands of agricultural products to promote consumption via supermarkets, food chains, restaurants, and hotels."

Specifically, the department has connected with supermarket chains, such as Central Group, MM Mega Market, Vinmart and BRG, to consume more than 130 tonnes of Chí Linh chicken of Hải Dương Province; 56,000 tonnes of mango and 98,000 tonnes of longan of Sơn La Province; 12,000 tonnes of vegetables, fruits and seafood products of Hải Dương, Quảng Ninh and Hà Giang provinces, and Vĩnh Châu purple onions of Sóc Trăng Province.

The first-ever livestream promoting products of Hà Nội’s “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme was held early this month by the Hanoi Coordination Office for New-style Rural Area Building together with the ASEAN Digital Conversion Research Institute (ASEAN Academy).

This event aimed to support stakeholders in the production, sale and marketing of OCOP products through digital technologies and e-commerce platforms, especially against the backdrop of COVID-19.

Nguyễn Văn Chí, standing deputy chief of the Coordination Office for the New Rural Development Programme in Hà Nội, said: "Hà Nội considers livestreaming one of the effective solutions to promote online consumption of agricultural products, especially OCOP products and regional specialities."

Đặng Thị Cuối, director of the Cuối Quý Hi-tech Organic Vegetable Cooperative in Đan Phượng District, Hà Nội, said that due to the impact of the COVID-19, collective kitchens and restaurants must close while foreigners to Việt Nam are also limited, so it is difficult for her cooperative to sell vegetables. However, with online trading channels, the cooperative has stability in vegetable consumption with an average volume of 200-300 kilos of vegetables per day.

According to Đào Thị Lương, director of the Tâm Anh Cooperative for Production and Trading of organic vegetables and fruits in Phú Xuyên District, Hà Nội, with the support from the Hà Nội Women’s Union, the cooperative has sold 200 kilos of vegetables every day. Along with that, the cooperative has been promoting online trading activities, especially on Facebook.

Director of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Chu Phú Mỹ said that the department will continue to coordinate with the Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade and the Hà Nội Trade and Investment Promotion Centre to promote the implementation of a programme on regional cooperation, and support consumption between Hà Nội and other provinces and cities.

This programme includes support in introducing farming products and connecting Hà Nội and other provinces and cities to promote the consumption of those products, especially products facing oversupply in harvest seasons.

It will support connections between domestic and joint venture enterprises with foreign partners abroad in the distribution and processing of those products, and encourage the businesses to develop e-commerce platforms and apply information technology in consumption activities. — VNS