Exploiting the potential of specialty chili

On rocky mountain slopes, ot gio - a native chili variety of upland areas - is being developed into a specialty crop with high economic value. This approach opens new prospects for crop restructuring and helps improve local livelihoods.

Mr. Ha Van Ngoc, Director of Thanh Nien Agricultural Service Cooperative in Yen Minh commune, caring for his chili garden.

Small in size, ot gio chilies are known for their distinctive spiciness and strong aroma. When dried, they retain their bright red color. Along with the growth of tourism, the popularity of ot gio products has increased, encouraging many households to switch to specialized cultivation and expand their growing areas.

Currently, there are more than 15 hectares of ot gio chili cultivated across the province, mainly in Dong Van, Meo Vac, Tat Nga, Yen Minh, and Thang Mo communes. Thanks to the dynamism of local people and the guidance of local authorities, this crop has become a commercial product with stable markets both inside and outside the province.

Thanh Nien Agricultural Service Cooperative in Yen Minh commune specializes in producing and processing ot gio products. The cooperative maintains 6 hectares of chili cultivation each year, yielding about 2.1 tons with an annual revenue of VND420 million. To expand raw material areas, since 2025, the cooperative has partnered with 15 households in Yen Minh and Thang Mo communes, providing seedlings and guaranteeing product consumption.
Its product “Ngoc Tuyen Salted Ot Gio Chili” has been certified as a 3-star OCOP product and was recognized as a typical provincial-level rural industrial product in 2024.

“Ngoc Tuyen Salted Ot Gio Chili” was recognized as a typical provincial-level rural industrial product in 2024.

Meanwhile, Thanh Cong Handicraft, Construction, and General Service Cooperative in Dong Van commune has focused on brand building and on developing ot gio products in compliance with safe production standards. Beyond fresh chili, the cooperative diversifies its products into dried chili, salted chili, chili in honey, chili sauce, and pickled chili - all bottled, labeled, and ensured for food safety, making them convenient for transport and use. Notably, its “Pickled Ot Gio Chili” product won the Vietnam Golden Agricultural Brand Award in 2018.

With its distinctive flavor, ot gio chili is proving its potential to become a signature brand of the Dong Van Karst Plateau, contributing to sustainable livelihoods for local people.

Pham Hoan