Hanoi (VNA) – Joining production chains hasbecome a vital choice for cooperatives in the northern province Quang Ninh inorder to survive, when most of them have limited capital and operate on small scale. Nguyen Van Nghi, chairman of the province’s Alliance ofCooperatives, said the provincial authorities have helped local cooperativesestablish linkages among them, then expand ties to the region and across thecountry. At the same time, the province also encouraged localcooperatives to transform into new models in line with the 2012 law oncooperatives in order to become eligible for new preferential treatment underthe law. According to Nguyen Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the VietnamAlliance of Cooperatives, Quang Ninh has issued many incentives forcooperatives while keeping close management of the sector, which provided agood environment for the collective economy to grow. The development of cooperatives in Quang Ninh has also receiveda boost with the programme One Commune One Product (OCOP), under which theprovince called for investment in agriculture and rural areas. The OCOP hasbeen a success in Quang Ninh. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang HuyHau noted that a number of cooperatives have sprung up in areas with developed goodsproduction. Those cooperatives have successfully linked with trading businessesto promote their products. One example of such cooperatives is the Phu Hai industrialproduction and service cooperative in Mao Khe ward, Dong Trieu town. Thecooperative, which makes incense for export, has all its materials – wood andcoal powder – supplied by local processing units. It also contracted with tradingbusinesses and partners for the sale and promotion of products. With the efforts made by the province’s Alliance ofCooperatives to promote the participation of cooperatives in value chains incombination with the building of new style rural areas and the OCOP programme,at present 119 enterprises, cooperatives and production households have joinedthe OCOP scheme. Among them, 33 firms, 35 cooperatives and 51 cooperative groupshave been successful in building 25 brand names for local products. The Quang Ninh Alliance of Cooperatives is working withbusinesses and research institutes to expand the models of hi-tech agriculturalproductions and linkages among research institutes, production units andbusinesses. According to Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Alliance ofCooperatives Nguyen Manh Cuong, Quang Ninh’s Alliance of Cooperatives shouldtimely advise the provincial People’s Committee in matters related to developingthe cooperative economic sector. The alliance should also coordinate closely with managementagencies, sectors and mass organisations to get the entire political systeminvolved in the work. Sharing Cuong’s view, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’sCommittee Dang Huy Hau required local authorities and agencies to continuepaying attention to developing cooperatives, considering them real enterprises. Local authorities should realise the importance ofcooperatives in socio-economic development, and keep a close watch of theiroperation in order to timely remove arising problems related to policies andmechanisms, Hau said. On the part of cooperatives, he recommended that they shouldimprove the knowledge and capacity of their managerial staff, and continue tobuild linkages with other cooperatives and enterprises, thus raising theirbusiness efficiency.-VNA