Production link chains stand firm amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

Doing business together, unrushed during epidemic times

From the beginning of July 2021 until the present date, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the agricultural products’ production and consumption situation at Vinh Thoi Clean Agricultural Cooperative (Vinh Thoi commune, Lai Vung district, Dong Thap province) are not as favorable as before. But in return, thanks to the association with Vinmart supermarkets in the Cuu Long Delta provinces in the past, the cooperative's fruit products are still sold at an acceptable price.

Although the general situation seems difficult, at present, farmers’ agricultural products in the cooperative still have a stable output. The cooperative still packs goods for supermarkets, so the output problem for the cooperative’s fruit products such as oranges, sugar mandarins is still stable (though the price has decreased by a few thousand dongs/kg).

Long Thuan Safe Vegetables Production and Consumption Cooperative (Long Thuan commune, Hong Ngu district, Dong Thap province) is also on the list of the MARD's Working Group (Working Group 970) to register to supply agricultural products to the market. In order to be capable of supplying to Co.opmart supermarket, the cooperative's vegetable products must be VietGAP certified.

According to Mr. Duong Minh Sang, Director of Long Thuan Safe Vegetables Production and Consumption Cooperative, in order to have stable product output during this difficult epidemic times, the cooperative has boldly produced in the form of associating with enterprises, attaining stable output contracts with supermarkets and enterprises such as Dong Thap Food Supply Chain Co., Ltd., Vinh Hoan JSC (Cao Lanh City)…

The cooperative has also signed a stable and regular consumption contract with a system of many convenience stores selling clean vegetables inside and outside the province. Especially, since the beginning of 2020, the cooperative and the Co.opmart supermarket system in the province have established a very stable reciprocal link. As a result, the output for safe vegetables of the cooperative's people is very stably consumed.

Mobilizing the postal industry to get involved

During these past times, Kien Giang province's functional departments have coordinated with the provincial Post Office to open sales points at post offices in the area, connecting and consuming agricultural products effectively.

As claimed by Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the unit has cooperated with the Department of Industry and Trade and the Post Office of Kien Giang province to work with districts and cities to open price-stabilizing selling points at post offices in the area.

To be specific, the Department has opened sales points at Post Offices of An Hoa, Vinh Thanh and Vinh Hiep wards (Rach Gia City), Hoa Dien and Kien Luong Post Offices (Kien Luong district) and Town Eleventh Post Office (An Minh District). These selling points consume hundreds of kilograms of vegetables and fruits every day.

As informed by the assessment of Kien Giang Department of Industry and Trade, the supply of essential goods in the province has been stable in recent days, and goods at supermarkets and convenience stores have listed prices and are sold accordingly, there are no cases of storing, hoarding goods, and increasing in prices.

The People's Committee of Kien Giang province has also asked the districts and cities to direct the functional forces at checkpoints to create favorable conditions for the delivery force of supermarket systems, convenience stores, and agricultural product trading companies allowed to operate locally.