HANOI: Big cities and provinces in the country have completed stockpiling of goods reserves keeping in mind the increase in demand in the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecast that the demand for goods in the Tet holiday would increase by 15 per cent to 20 per cent over the previous years.
This was the reason that the ministry had asked departments of industry and trade to have plans in place for ensuring supply of goods for the festival, in which price stabilisation should be given priority.
The Ha Noi’s Department of Industry and Trade said the total amount of essential goods for the holiday was estimated at VND21.6 trillion (more than US$1 billion). Enterprises producing confectionery, beer, soft drinks and milk in the city have stored around VND6.7 trillion ($312 million) worth of items.
The trade village produces goods for Tet such as agricultural food processing, confectionery, textiles, and tea, apart from vermicelli and tapioca, and has total value of goods in reserve of over VND2 trillion ($93 million). Commercial centres and supermarkets had a reservation for essential goods worth VND2.7 trillion ($126 million) .
In addition, businesses would stockpile and sell essential goods at 1,164 stores, organising 12 Vietnamese goods fairs and nine Vietnamese goods weeks in the outskirts and processing zones in the capital. HCM City would have several new specialities from localities with stable and reasonable prices for the holiday.
Supply of goods would come from three sources including firms participating in market price stabilisation programmes (30 per cent to 40 per cent of market shares), three wholesale markets for fruits, vegetables and seafood (60 per cent to 70 per cent) and other businesses (10 per cent to 20 per cent).
The total goods value in the city reserved for Tet was VND16.2 trillion ($754 million), increasing VND462 billion in comparison with the previous festival.
The city would have 9,025 price stabilisation points, increasing 238 points from the beginning of the year. The amount of goods at the three wholesale markets has been between 14,000 tonnes and 15,000 tonnes a day, increasing 80 per cent from the normal days.
The central Da Nang City has also prepared plans for price stabilisation while ensuring the demand for essential goods. The total goods reserved value was up to VND192 billion ($8.93 million) for cooking oil, canned foods, confectionery, and VND12 billion for rice.
In the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho, goods available for sale are worth an estimated VND2.5 trillion ($116.3 million) . The city’s demand for goods in the year-end month was estimated at 10 per cent to 15 per cent higher than previous months.
A representative from the Department of Industry and Trade in the southern Binh Duong Province said most businesses in the locality planned to reserve goods, which was 20 per cent higher than previous years.
The ministry established six working groups in charge of uncovering smuggling and trade fraud cases, and monitoring food hygiene, particularly much-consumed goods such as alcohol, cigarettes and other beverage.
It would conduct special checks on imported goods such as alcohol, beverages and cigarettes to prevent entry of counterfeit and smuggled goods. It also asked the departments to enhance check-ups on food hygiene and safety and fluctuation. The officials from various localities have promulgated several directives asking businesses to ensure goods supply before and after Tet holiday.
