Welcome the blessings of trade.
As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, a bustling shopping atmosphere permeates the shopping malls in Can Tho. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa, who returned from Ho Chi Minh City to reunite with her family, shared her joy: “Previously, we spent a lot of time preparing Tet goods to bring home, but now Can Tho has developed remarkably. The diverse supermarket and shopping mall system, abundant goods, and stable prices have made us decide to come here to enjoy the complete joy of Tet shopping with our family.”
As a son returning home from abroad, Mr. Nguyen Vo Minh Trung, a Vietnamese expatriate in the United States, emotionally said: “Transportation is now very convenient, it only takes a little over 2 hours to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho . The road home has therefore become much closer!” Sharing his impressions of the city's comprehensive development, especially the diverse and convenient commercial services that meet all consumer needs, Mr. Trung affirmed: “Can Tho is increasingly deserving of being a livable city, a prosperous hub connecting the entire Mekong Delta region.”
To achieve its current position, Can Tho City has continuously strived to develop infrastructure, comprehensively improving and upgrading its road, waterway, and air transport routes. Can Tho has become an important logistics hub, effectively connecting provinces in the region with the rest of the country and international partners. Alongside this, the city has actively attracted investment in modern commercial centers, supermarkets, and wholesale markets, creating momentum to boost trade and distribution of key agricultural products in the region.
Trade and services have become a brilliant strength in Can Tho's economic landscape. By 2025, total retail sales of goods and services are estimated to reach an impressive figure of over 360,000 billion VND, an increase of over 20% compared to the same period. The supply system for goods, food, and groceries for the people is firmly ensured through a widespread network including 255 markets, 20 large and small supermarkets, and 290/325 convenience stores selling fresh produce, food, and vegetables.
The regional agricultural produce section at GO! supermarket in Can Tho.
"Where there's good land, birds will flock," and Can Tho is increasingly becoming an attractive destination for major retailers. A prime example is the AEON Mall Can Tho project, scheduled to begin construction in early 2025, with a total floor area of 195,073 m2. Along with its existing supermarket and shopping mall system, Can Tho is well-positioned to become the shopping hub of the Mekong Delta in the near future.
Connecting and reaching further
The development of Can Tho's commercial and service infrastructure has attracted cooperation and investment commitments from large corporations, creating strong momentum for the market. At a meeting with city leaders, Mr. Paul Le, Vice President of Central Retail Group, stated that by 2028, Central Retail plans to develop three more GO! shopping malls, tentatively located in the city center of Can Tho, Vi Tan ward, and Soc Trang ward. In addition, the group plans to invest in several integrated GO! supermarkets – smaller-scale supermarkets – with project areas ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 square meters. Mr. Paul Le pledged to expedite the project's implementation in a spirit of cooperation and partnership for the city's development.
Mr. Nakagawa Tetsuyuki, General Director of AEON Mall Vietnam Co., Ltd., affirmed: “Vietnam is AEON’s most important and strategic market. The Group will continue to contribute to regional development through the development of more new shopping malls throughout Vietnam, including Can Tho City.”
In its development process, the city has continuously strived to promote cooperation and trade connections. Last year, the Department of Industry and Trade strengthened supply-demand connections through cooperation programs between localities; connecting distributors with cooperatives and farmers. A clear result of this cooperation was the Can Tho Durian Product Connection and Consumption Festival in Hai Phong City (June 11). The event brought 2 tons of vacuum-packed Ri 6 durian with clear traceability from orchards in Phong Dien commune to the Hai Phong market, and it was very positively received by the people. Mr. Le Ngoc Lan, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Hai Phong City, affirmed that this is not only a temporary trade promotion activity, but also a long-term step in establishing links between production localities and key consumption markets. Hai Phong is ready to accompany Can Tho and the Mekong Delta to expand distribution channels, contributing to stabilizing the domestic agricultural supply chain.
Promotional activities at the Can Tho Durian Product Networking and Consumption Festival in Hai Phong City.
Along with actively implementing promotional and trade activities and developing tourist destinations, Can Tho City is also actively connecting the consumption of OCOP products and local specialties to businesses at tourist sites. This creates synergistic value between agriculture and tourism, opening up a new, modern, and effective distribution channel.
Mr. Huynh Thanh Su, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Can Tho City, believes that expanding consumption markets, especially in the northern provinces and cities, is a crucial direction for developing agricultural and aquatic products in Can Tho and the entire Mekong Delta region. With initial successes, Can Tho will continue to strengthen regional linkages, attract investment in cold storage systems, preliminary processing, and deep processing, and propose the establishment of a unified traceability system to enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products.
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According to experts, Can Tho City can fully exploit its existing potential, advantages, and even bottlenecks to development as a driving force for breakthrough growth. The hope for a prosperous new spring is further strengthened by the close attention the city is receiving from the Government, along with the determination and unity of the entire political system and the people. It is believed that Can Tho will soon overcome challenges, make a strong breakthrough, and truly become the economic center and growth engine of the entire Mekong Delta region.
Text and photos: KHANH NAM
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/don-loc-dau-tu-a198718.html
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