The ongoing OCOP 2023 Exhibition in Phu Nghia Commune has attracted more than 30 businesses and cooperatives involved in handicraft production.

Local consumers shop at the event. Photos: Hoai Nam/ The Hanoi Times

The exhibition, which covers an area of more than 2,000 square meters, will run until December 9 in Phu Nghia Commune, Chuong My district, suburban Hanoi.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on December 7, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Dinh Thang said the exhibition serves as a foundation for building and developing a trading platform for new designs and handicraft products in Hanoi, supporting the development of the handicraft industry and the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program in Hanoi.

"In addition, the event creates an environment for effective information exchange and consultation on product design between designers and handicraft enterprises," Thang emphasized.

The exhibition aims to enhance the value of handicraft products and OCOP, as well as promote the traditional cultural values of handicraft villages through tourism activities.

According to the Chuong My District People's Committee, the district currently has 584 industrial enterprises and more than 8,000 workshops.

In recent years, the district's economy has grown over 11% annually, with the industrial and handicraft sectors growing at 18-21%. The expected revenue for 2023 is VND12.67 trillion (US$520 million).

Twenty-seven out of 35 recognized traditional handicraft villages in the district practice rattan weaving.

The district's 175 out of 206 villages are engaged in some kinds of traditional handicrafts, including 35 recognized by the Hanoi People's Committee, specializing in woodworking, stone carving, and lace embroidery.

Among them, twenty-seven of the 35 recognized traditional handicraft villages in the district practice rattan weaving. Chuong My's rattan products have won numerous awards in domestic and international design competitions.

The local authority has taken various measures to support the handicraft villages and artisans in improving production capacity, including allocating funds for training, promoting trade, improving machinery, and applying technology in production.