Businesses are struggling because of the sharp increase in sand prices and scarce supply.

Dak Nong currently has seven licensed enterprises exploiting sand on the Krong No River with a total annual capacity of more than 180,000 m3. Photo: Ngoc Minh/VNA

Market price more than double

Construction sand prices in Dak Nong province continue to increase. Many dealers only quote prices for the day, while some dealers say they are out of stock.

In Gia Nghia city, Dak Nong province, a representative of the D.M construction materials business said: The current price of sand is 1,000,000 VND/m3 for construction sand; 1,100,000 VND/m3 for plastering sand. This price has increased by about 100,000 VND/m3 compared to last week and increased by about 125% compared to half a month ago.

“The price is like that, but it is not available if you want to buy. Currently, the supply is very scarce because the sand mines in Krong No district have all closed or are selling very “drop by drop”. If you want to buy a large quantity, you have to wait and see how the situation is, because there is no immediate answer as to when it will be available. As for sand from Dak Lak province, you cannot buy it even if you want to, because most of the mines are not selling it on the market,” the representative of the facility added.

Similarly, a representative of the HT P construction materials business in Gia Nghia city said that the price of construction sand is currently fluctuating between 1,000,000 - 1,050,000 VND/m3. This person noted that this price is the daily price because the business is not sure about the supply in the coming days. If the owners of sand mines in Krong No district do not sell, then they will have to... bear it, there is no goods.

For Tuy Duc and Dak R'lap districts (Dak Nong province), sand prices are even higher than in Gia Nghia city due to the longer transportation distance. Many businesses and residents said they have contacted for many days but have not yet received sand. "Construction works are waiting for sand, business owners are waiting for transport units, and investors are urging," a business owner in Tuy Duc district shared with reporters.

According to some construction companies in Dak Nong province, the high price of sand and the scarcity of supply have disrupted construction projects. The current price of sand is “beyond imagination” and this is the highest price ever in Dak Nong.

“Many projects requiring sand have had to temporarily stop construction and switch to other projects. There is only a month left until the rainy season and outdoor construction is no longer possible. At that time, sand is no longer enough,” said a business owner.

“According to the latest decision to announce the prices of construction materials and supplies by the Dak Nong Department of Construction, the price of construction sand in Gia Nghia city is from 420,000 - 450,000 VND/m3. The price in Tuy Duc, Dak Glong, Dak R'lap districts... is 50,000 - 100,000 VND/m3 higher (depending on the transportation distance). Thus, the current market price is 100 - 125% higher than the announced price that businesses often call the State price,” the owner of a construction business in Dak Nong provided additional information to reporters.

In addition to the high price of sand, other construction materials have also increased sharply. A typical example is commercial concrete. Ready-mixed concrete M250-R28 is offered by ready-mixed concrete suppliers at VND1,600,000/m3, about VND400,000 higher than 2 weeks ago. Other types of ready-mixed concrete have also seen similar increases.

Sell ​​"drip"

Many traffic and civil works are waiting for sand. Photo: Ngoc Minh/VNA

Mr. LH H, a resident of Quang Phu commune, Krong No district, said that for more than a week now, many sand mining stations have completely stopped mining. The number of trucks coming to get sand has also decreased significantly compared to before. "There are very few trucks running, some stations only sell sand left on the beach, there is no mining as rampant as before," Mr. H added.

Observations in reality show that many sand mines along the Krong No River, the section flowing through the communes of Quang Phu, Dak Nang, Nam N'Dir, Buon Choah... have only a small amount of sand left on the beach. Mr. Tai, a driver specializing in transporting sand from Krong No, said that from May 10 until now, most of the sand mines have closed or sold very "drop by drop". The trucks coming to get the sand are strictly controlled in terms of load and related regulations. Meanwhile, the transportation distance is long, so the cost is much higher than before.

According to the leader of the Dak Nong Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Department has grasped information about developments related to the construction sand market. This week, the province's interdisciplinary team will conduct a field inspection and propose appropriate solutions.

Speaking to a VNA reporter in Dak Nong, a leader of the Dak Nong Department of Construction confirmed that he had a relatively clear understanding of the construction sand market situation. The Department is directing specialized departments to grasp information, check the market price situation, and construction sand trading transactions. On that basis, the Department will synthesize and make some appropriate adjustments in announcing the prices of materials and supplies in the area.

Dak Nong province currently has 7 licensed enterprises exploiting sand on the Krong No River with a total annual capacity of more than 180,000 m3. The price of construction sand sold at the mine usually fluctuates between 150,000 - 250,000 VND/m3. Due to the long transportation distance, the price of sand often doubles or even triples when it reaches construction sites. Typically, the distance from the sand mines in Krong No district to Gia Nghia city is about 70 - 80 km; to Tuy Duc district is about 100 - 120 km...

Currently, most of the sand used for construction projects in Dak Nong is exploited from the Krong No River. In addition, construction sand in Dak Nong is also transported and supplied to Dak Lak, Lam Dong, and Binh Phuoc provinces. According to some sand mine owners, the temporary suspension of sand supply to the market is due to the fact that the ships' registration and inspection have expired, forcing them to temporarily stop mining; some ships have damaged engines and must be pulled up for repair.

According to VNA

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/doanh-nhan/doanh-nghiep-lao-dao-vi-gia-cat-tang-manh-nguon-cung-khan-hiem/20250520075257579