The OCOP program in Điện Biên has already left significant marks, becoming a driver for rural economic development. The province currently has 138 certified OCOP products, including 5 four-star items and 134 three-star items, with notable examples such as Điện Biên rice, coffee, honey, and tea. These products not only affirm the brand of local specialty agricultural goods but also expand consumption markets and increase the value of farm produce, thereby improving incomes for both households and businesses.

Despite achievements, the OCOP program still faces limitations. Many products are largely handmade and lack attention to design and packaging. Trade promotion, product introduction, and branding efforts remain modest. For food and beverage items, especially alcoholic beverages such as rice wine, packaging in plastic bottles or containers has not been aligned with food safety and environmental protection standards, limiting both market reach and long-term sustainability.

Currently, 19 OCOP products are still packaged in plastic bottles. While plastic bottles help reduce costs and make production more convenient, they contribute to pollution, increase waste-treatment pressure, and run counter to green and sustainable development trends. From a branding perspective, plastic packaging lacks distinction and aesthetic appeal, making it harder to impress consumers. This poses a significant disadvantage when promoting products at fairs, trade events, or in domestic and international markets, where environmentally friendly packaging and design are increasingly valued.

According to Doãn Thị Thoa, a macadamia producer in Tuần Giáo commune, plastic packaging was initially a cost-saving and convenient option, especially for small-scale production with limited capital. However, she acknowledged that plastic bottles are only suitable at the early stage because they harm the environment, lack aesthetic quality, and fail to inspire consumer trust.

To ensure sustainable development of OCOP products, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has called on all certified OCOP producers, particularly in food and beverage groups, to proactively replace plastic bottles with ceramic, glass, or eco-friendly packaging. The province aims that by the end of 2025, 100% of certified OCOP products will have completed the transition.

Provincial departments, sectors, and localities are intensifying communication and mobilization efforts to encourage businesses, cooperatives, and households to replace plastic packaging. The Department of Agriculture and Environment requires producers to register their transition plans and cost estimates with local People’s Committees for consolidation and support reporting. OCOP producers are also offered assistance in accessing packaging design and labeling technology, while the Department of Science and Technology provides guidance to ensure compliance with labeling and origin regulations, and encourages trademark and barcode registration.

Bùi Thị Việt Hà, owner of Hà Chung Coffee, which currently produces Arabica Hà Chung salt coffee in plastic bottles, said that while plastic packaging helps reduce costs and is convenient for distribution, it falls short at trade fairs because it lacks visual appeal and competitiveness. Therefore, her facility plans to switch to ceramic bottles to enhance quality, value, and brand image, while also hoping for support in capital and technology to meet both domestic and international market demands.

The shift from plastic to eco-friendly packaging is not merely a cosmetic change but a strategic step to elevate product value. Recognizing this, Nguyễn Mỹ Linh, Director of Hương Linh Điện Biên Co., Ltd., has focused on improving packaging and labeling for her tea products. She has introduced rigid paper boxes to enhance aesthetics and has been researching eco-friendly materials to align with sustainable consumption trends. For her, improving packaging not only enhances the standing of OCOP products and preserves local identity but also makes production more professional, positioning products to serve both domestic markets and future exports.

For the program to take root, producers cannot rely solely on state support. OCOP stakeholders - from enterprises to cooperatives and households - must be proactive, innovative, and willing to invest in their products.

Nguyễn Văn Nam, from the provincial New-style Rural Coordination Office, emphasized that replacing plastic bottles in OCOP products is not only an inevitable step toward environmental protection but also the “key” to raising the value, competitiveness, and stature of Điện Biên’s agricultural brands. When producers collectively shift their production mindset and invest in packaging and design, OCOP products from the province will have the opportunity to reach new heights, win over demanding markets, affirm their position on the map of Vietnamese and global agricultural goods, and contribute to building a green, circular, and sustainable economy.