Quang Nam seeks ways to stimulate domestic consumption.

Việt Nam•11/04/2024

me-den(1).jpg — Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuong Vi and her clean processed products made from black sesame seeds. Photo: Q. VIET

Ensuring product quality

Established in August 2023, Binh Nguyen Agricultural & Service Cooperative (Binh Nguyen Cooperative) focuses on producing and trading pure black sesame candy, clean black sesame powder, and packaged clean black sesame seeds.

This is how Binh Nguyen Cooperative utilizes clean, exceptionally fragrant black sesame seeds produced by farmers in Binh Nguyen commune (Thang Binh district) on sandy loam soil using a unique technical process and only organic fertilizers.

With its main product being pure black sesame candy, Binh Nguyen Cooperative supplies 300kg to the market each month at a price of 250,000 VND/kg for regular candy and 270,000 VND/kg for diet candy.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuong Vi, Director of Binh Nguyen Cooperative, said that the unit has utilized almost all sales channels, from e-commerce and retail at stalls to wholesale to private traders and large confectionery distributors, but revenue has not met expectations.

Currently, Binh Nguyen Cooperative is collaborating with 20 households in Lieu Thanh village (Binh Nguyen commune) to produce black sesame seeds on a 5-hectare area. Farmers who cultivate black sesame seeds using organic farming methods will receive a more favorable price than the market average.

“All three of our products made from pure black sesame seeds are organic, beneficial to consumers. I process the products to ensure good quality and food safety regulations so that they are well-received by the market.”

"The Bình Nguyên Cooperative's aspiration is for the market to be opened up. We have decided to increase the scale of production and processing of black sesame products threefold," said Ms. Vi.

Our observations at Tam Ky market show that essential household goods, seafood, fruits, and beauty products are selling poorly, with few buyers.

Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Nga, Head of the Tam Ky Market Management Board, said that the volume of goods sold at the market is currently only 50-60% of the same period last year. The reason is that trade at the market has decreased significantly compared to e-commerce with home delivery. Furthermore, the economy remains difficult, and consumers are tightening their spending.

"To boost sales at the market, we encourage small traders to develop civilized consumer behavior and sales culture, creating a friendly and approachable atmosphere with buyers."

"Thanks to public awareness campaigns, most goods now comply with food safety regulations, and traceability is gradually being implemented to ensure quality. Goods are also sold at reasonable prices. Small traders also apply many promotional programs to stimulate purchasing power," Ms. Nga said.

Strengthen market control.

Stimulating domestic consumption is not only a solution to help businesses and small traders in the province weather the difficulties, but also helps to enhance the value of "made in Quang Nam" products, OCOP goods, and rural industrial products in the province.

This is also a way to create a competitive advantage for Vietnamese goods against high-quality imported goods sold at low prices, especially in the context of increasingly deep integration.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, the assistance from relevant agencies involves simplifying and streamlining administrative procedures to facilitate smoother trade for manufacturing and business enterprises and retail chains.

Quang Nam needs to quickly establish and closely link a system of wholesale markets to ensure that manufactured goods are traded more openly and transparently in the market, especially in terms of product traceability, quality assurance, and safety.

To boost domestic trade, one solution that authorities are focusing on implementing is controlling and regulating the market, and protecting consumer rights.

Mr. Luong Viet Tinh, Director of the Quang Nam Market Management Department, said that cases of unreasonably high prices in the retail market are very rare in the province because market management teams in districts, towns, and cities have promptly rectified the situation. Quang Nam currently has a reasonable retail price level, which will stimulate domestic consumption.

“The market management sector continues to control and combat smuggling, counterfeit goods, tax evasion, illegal business practices, and the exploitation of speculation and hoarding to raise prices for illicit profit. We urge retailers and businesses to be honest and responsible when applying promotions, meeting the needs and serving the needs of consumers well,” Mr. Tinh said.

According to relevant authorities, in addition to support from government agencies, businesses and small traders selling directly or through e-commerce all need to build product and retail brands, create consumer trust, and especially establish linkages, cooperation, and trade connections to better meet the supply and demand of goods.

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