Will natural disasters cause a shortage of Tet holiday goods in Ho Chi Minh City?

The delegation conducted a survey and worked with Co.opMart Ly Thuong Kiet supermarket (Dien Hong ward) before working with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and relevant departments. At the supermarket, despite the early morning, there were quite a lot of customers shopping. The supermarket had an abundant supply of goods, including many typical Tet holiday items such as: artistic coconuts carved with characters (wealth, fortune, happiness), banh chung (vegetarian and non-vegetarian), beer, soft drinks, and confectionery...

A supermarket representative said they are preparing a 20% increase in goods compared to last year's Tet holiday, with a diverse range of products and additional supplies from northern suppliers due to a shortage of vegetables from Lam Dong province.

Here, fresh vegetables are received from Saigon Co.op 's central warehouse, which has a random quick testing room to promptly block unsafe products from entering the system. For products participating in the "Green Badge of Responsibility" program, if a sample is found to be substandard, a system-wide alert will be issued and the entire shipment will be withdrawn.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan, Deputy Head of the Policy and Legal Affairs Department - Quality, Processing and Market Development Department ( Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), commented that Saigon Co.op is very systematically preparing its supply sources for consumption during the New Year, Lunar New Year, and other upcoming festivals.

Mr. Thuan advised Saigon Co.op, as well as other businesses dealing in agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products, to strengthen control measures amidst the high demand during the Tet holiday. "Products must always ensure food safety and quality; quality shouldn't decrease just because it's Tet or a festival," Mr. Thuan emphasized.

During the working session with the delegation, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh acknowledged that ensuring food safety is a major challenge for a city with 14 million inhabitants like Ho Chi Minh City.

This year's market is predicted to have several new features compared to previous years, including a larger number of people staying in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate Tet, especially factory workers. In addition, there will be a reverse migration wave, with people from other provinces coming to Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate Tet with their relatives, as the city offers many attractive entertainment and recreational activities after its expansion.

Meanwhile, some traditional supply regions for Ho Chi Minh City, such as the Central Highlands, the Mekong Delta, and Central Vietnam, have been affected by natural disasters, and recovery will take time. Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City must prepare both the quantity and quality of food supplies to ensure people can shop during the peak season.

According to Mr. Ngo Hong Y, Deputy Head of the Trade Management Department (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade), this year businesses are preparing Tet holiday goods worth over 26,000 billion VND, of which 9,000 billion VND are market-stabilizing products, with production increasing by about 10% compared to last year's Tet. Market-stabilizing goods account for 23-40% and are priced 5-15% lower than goods on the market, depending on the item.

To ensure that people can shop for Tet (Lunar New Year), supermarkets may increase their stock by two or three times compared to normal days and extend their operating hours during peak periods.

Mr. Vo Thanh Giau, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, believes that, barring unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters or epidemics, the supply of goods for the people of Ho Chi Minh City during the Tet holiday will be relatively stable and guaranteed. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City also has the capacity to share its supply with other disadvantaged localities," Mr. Giau predicted.

Comment (0)