Of the 138 OCOP products (belonging to 88 entities), 5 products were rated 4-star and 133 products were rated 3-star. Being certified as an OCOP-standard product brings numerous benefits, such as building consumer trust, enhancing brand value, and creating opportunities to access broader markets. Many products that once circulated only locally began appearing in major supermarkets, participating in trade fairs, and even reaching other provinces and cities after receiving their “stars.”

This certification is considered a “passport” for products to expand and dominate the market. According to regulations, OCOP certificates with 3 to 5 stars are valid for 36 months. After that period, in order to continue using the OCOP logo with stars, producers must register for re-evaluation and re-ranking in accordance with Decision No.148/QĐ-TTg (February 24, 2023) and Decision No.1489/QĐ-TTg (July 6, 2025) of the Prime Minister. However, there are already products past the validity period, and many producers, particularly individuals, have shown little interest in completing the paperwork for re-certification.

For example, chẳm chéo sauce from M’Then Cooperative was certified as a 3-star OCOP product in late 2019, with certification expiring in 2024. However, the cooperative did not submit documents for re-certification. The reason was that the product’s market after certification did not significantly expand in terms of scale or quantity compared to before. Since the product had already gained recognition, orders remained stable without the OCOP logo. Therefore, the cooperative considered it unnecessary to invest tens of millions of VND in completing procedures for re-certification.

The case of M’Then’s chẳm chéo reflects a common mindset: many producers treat OCOP more as a “medal for display” than as a passport to market expansion. In 2024, 35 OCOP products in the province reached the end of their certification period and required re-registration (all 3-star products), but only 16 products had re-certification files completed (13 of which were successfully renewed for the second time). This situation leads to consequences such as: loss of competitive advantage, lack of necessary credibility for local brands to expand further, and, more importantly, weakened sustainability of the OCOP program.

Producers explained their reluctance to re-certify by pointing to the stricter evaluation criteria introduced under Decision No.148/QĐ-TTg (2023). In particular, 4-star OCOP products must meet stricter mandatory requirements regarding environment, intellectual property, and quality certification, criteria that are difficult and time-consuming to fulfill. Meanwhile, most OCOP producers in the province are small or medium-sized with limited financial resources, making it challenging to invest in meeting the new requirements.

Additionally, the re-certification process for 3-star products requires time, effort, and costs, while the recognition itself does not bring major breakthroughs for the product. Consequently, many producers aim for upgrading their products to 4 stars instead of re-certifying at 3 stars. For example, Phan Nhất Tea Co. Ltd., which produces old-tree tea, said that new certification standards are higher, requiring greater investment of time and costs. Since their products are not yet qualified for 4-star ranking, but re-certifying at 3-star is not appealing, the company is instead focusing on improving quality to achieve 4-star status.

By the end of 2025, 14 products certified in 2022 (12 rated 3-star and 2 rated 4-star) will reach the end of validity, such as Hà Chung ground coffee (phin brewing) by Hà Chung Coffee Processing Facility, Lộc Biên vermicelli by Lộc Biên Vermicelli Cooperative, and Tâm Thiện upland sticky rice by Tâm Thiện Cooperative. To manage effectively and promote further development of certified OCOP products (scaling up, improving quality, upgrading star ratings), the Department of Agriculture and Environment has issued notices urging producers to promptly prepare, complete, and submit re-certification applications. Doing so ensures continuous certification, prevents disruption, and protects producer rights.

According to Mr. Lò Hồng Phong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, by January 13, 2026, if products certified in 2022 are not re-evaluated and re-certified, producers must stop using the OCOP certification logo with stars on packaging and labels. Relevant agencies will strictly inspect and monitor the use of OCOP logos by organizations and individuals in the province, in line with Decision No.1162/QĐ-VPĐP-OCOP (September 17, 2020) of the National New Rural Coordination Office. Certificates may also be revoked if producers fail to meet program requirements.

To ensure OCOP becomes a true driver of rural economic development, Điện Biên needs to provide incentives, support, and close companionship with producers in the re-certification process, rather than stopping at initial certification. This is the “bottleneck” that must be addressed if OCOP products in the province are to secure a sustainable position in the market. Producers themselves must proactively register for re-evaluation, improve quality, design, and credibility to win consumer trust and expand market share. In cases where producers fail to re-certify, relevant agencies will proceed to revoke OCOP certification and impose sanctions if the OCOP label is misused for market sales.