What Is Vietnam's "One Commune, One Product" (OCOP) Movement? Explaining the Star Ratings and Success Stories

Have you ever felt, "I'm interested in Vietnam's regional agricultural products, but I don't know about their quality or reliability"?

To solve this problem, the Vietnamese government has been rolling out the "OCOP (One Commune One Product)" movement in earnest since 2018. Designed on the model of Japan's "One Village One Product" movement, this system uses national certification to branding this is an initiative to brand regional agricultural products and processed foods.

In this article, we cover an overview of the OCOP movement, how the star rating works, and concrete success stories examples, explained clearly for those in agriculture and food importers.

What is OCOP? An overview of Vietnam's version of the "One Village One Product" movement

OCOP stands for "One Commune One Product," equivalent to the "One Village One Product" movement. A movement started by Oita Prefecture in 1979 spread across Asia, and in Vietnam it officially launched as a national program in 2018.

The aim is simple: to uncover rural specialty products, raise their quality, and deliver them to markets at home and abroad. The state supports a system through which local farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises can take pride in their products.

As of 2023, 62 of the country's 63 provinces and cities participate in the OCOP program. The number of registered products exceeds 12,000, and it has come to cover a wide range of categories, from agricultural products, foods, beverages, and handicrafts to tourism services.

The OCOP star rating system: what 1 to 5 stars mean

At the core of OCOP is the "star rating system." Products are rated from 1 to 5 stars, providing a benchmark by which consumers and importers judge quality.

The evaluation covers five axes: "product quality," "packaging design," "production capacity," "environmental consideration," and "storytelling." It is characterized by placing importance not just on quality inspection but also on regional identity and sustainability.

The process for receiving certification

The steps from application to certification are as follows.

1. Submit an application to the local administrative office
2. On-site inspection by a province-level review committee
3. The province makes the final decision for 3 to 4 stars, and the central government for 4 to 5 stars
4. After certification, the right to use the OCOP logo is granted

Certification lasts three years, with a re-examination at renewal. Rather than "get certified and you're done," it is a system that requires continuous maintenance of quality.

Government support measures: concrete steps that drive branding

Several forms of government support are available to businesses that have received OCOP certification.

Developing sales channels is the biggest form of support. Dedicated OCOP corners have been set up in large supermarkets and department stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, making it easier for regional products to reach consumers in the capital area. The nationwide rollout of farm-product direct-sale outlets, "OCOP shops," is also advancing.

Digitalization support is also a priority. The government links major e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada with the OCOP portal to promote online sales. Even in rural areas, an environment is taking shape in which nationwide sales are possible with a single smartphone.

Packaging design support There is also a subsidy program to help local small and medium-sized enterprises work with design firms. In many cases, improving the look directly boosts sales, and it is also effective in raising ratings.

Success stories: three products that took off with OCOP

Case 1: "Honey" from Quang Ninh Province (5-star certification)

Natural honey harvested in the mountainous areas of Quang Ninh Province is a leading product that earned an OCOP 5-star rating. It once sold at local markets for around 150,000 dong (VND) per kilogram, but after certification, in gift packaging, it rose to more than 300,000 dong.

There has been progress on the export side as well, with deals for Japan and Taiwan moving forward. The provincial agriculture department reports that sales grew about 2.3-fold in the year after certification.

Case 2: "Hue Sen Tea (lotus tea)" from Hue Province (4-star certification)

Hue Province's lotus tea is a traditional tea scented with the fragrance of lotus flowers. For many years it was sold on a small scale as a souvenir for tourists.

After earning an OCOP 4-star rating, the packaging was renewed. Branding that put the story of "Hue imperial court culture" front and center paid off, and delivery to upscale supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City was realized. Annual output tripled, from 5 tonnes to 15 tonnes.

Case 3: "Strawberry jam" from Da Lat (3-star certification)

The jam made by a group of strawberry farmers in the highland city of Da Lat is a processed product run mainly by the women of the farming households. Having earned an OCOP 3-star rating, its wholesale to local cafes and tourist facilities got on track.

Annual income per household is said to have become about 1.5 times what it was before certification. It is drawing attention as a success model that even small-scale farmers can take on.

The connection with Japan: potential uses for the import business

OCOP certification is a useful source of information for Japanese food importers as well.

Products certified at 4 to 5 stars can be said to be products for which the Vietnamese government guarantees quality and safety to a certain degree. They serve as an indicator usable as a first screen in product selection.

There are caveats, however. OCOP certification is, after all, an evaluation against Vietnam's domestic standards. Exporting to Japan requires separate reviews, such as plant quarantine, the Food Sanitation Act, and pesticide-residue standards.

That said, producers that have already obtained certification document management and quality records are often well in place, so it is true that due diligence on the Japanese side is easier to carry out.

Outlook: 2025 targets and challenges

Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has set a target of expanding OCOP-certified products to more than 10,000 items by the end of 2025. It is focusing in particular on two points: "expanding exports of 5-star products" and "strengthening digital sales channels."

There are challenges, too. For rural farmers, the complexity of the application process remains a high hurdle, and the expertise of reviewers varies by region. The follow-up systems after certification also differ by province, and in some cases the consistency of quality is called into question.

There is no denying that the system is still developing in places, but it is certain that the number of certifications and certified items is steadily increasing each year. In rural areas, raising incomes and from the standpoint of fostering regional brands, it can be said to be a policy that is steadily producing results.

Summary

We have covered the following points about Vietnam's OCOP movement.

• OCOP (One Village One Product) is a national program launched in 2018, with more than 12,000 items now registered
• Star ratings run from 1 to 5, with 4 to 5 stars certified by the central government; they serve as a guide to export readiness
• There are many success stories, such as honey, lotus tea, and strawberry jam, where branding grew sales 2 to 3 times
• For Japanese food importers, it can be used as a screening indicator for candidate suppliers
• Digitalization and export expansion are accelerating toward the 2025 targets

When considering dealing in OCOP-certified products, we recommend proceeding while checking the number of certification stars against Japan's import requirements.

At VN AGRI, we share the latest information on Vietnamese agriculture.

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