One Town One Product (OTOP) – Taiwan

One Town One Product (OTOP) is a project begun in 1989 and supervised by the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA) of Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs to promote Taiwanese products. Since 2000, adopting a new concept for promoting, marketing OTOP try to offer a best and unique product of Taiwan.

Timeline

In 1989, for the purpose to promote local companies located in Taiwan,Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, an organization under the control of Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs, had adapted the concept of "One Town One Product" from Japan, and formed an expert team to research some local industries and some distinctive products in Taiwan. This expert team who was composed by different specialists from design, financing, marketing has worked side by side with local companies for the purpose of promoting an excellent product from Taiwan especially the special one which is blend from tradition and from unique art of Taiwan. OTOP at the present time has regroups more than 100 companies around Taiwan included Pescadores and Matsu Islands. Under the closed supervision and help from Small and Medium Enterprises Administration, local companies have transformed the natural simple resources into a masterpiece of Taiwanese Traditional Art which is blended by the touch of Taiwanese artist. Today, with more than 1000 products have exhibited daily in different OTOP centers around Island.

Products

Under the supervision and encouragement from Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, all the products of OTOP are handcrafts and have made from locally available material using local wisdom and skill handed down from generation to generation.

OTOP project has strong support from Taiwanese Government on different levels – Identifying the potential OTOP product, Advising on design and production, Packaging and Design that can attract both local and international markets.

Challenges

With the necessary support of Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, many selected products have exhibited in different OTOP centers around island and also many fairs was organized by SMEA to promote these quality products into domestic and international markets. Many websites were also set up to market Taiwanese town product through Internet.

OTOP Shop

From last year and this year 2 OTOP shops were opened in KaoHsiung and in Taipei 101 to provide a greater access to international buyers and tourists varieties of traditional products developed under the OTOP – Taiwan Project.

See also

*One Tambon One Product
*One Village One Product
*One Town, One Product (OTOP) - Philippines

References

* [http://otop.tw OTOP Online] OTOP – Taiwan official online with Mandarin, Japanese, and English with information about the beauty of Taiwan and also market the distinguish products from Taiwanese village.