Virtual conference held to boost Southern agriculture goods supply

Establishing focal points to create a safe supply chain

MARD Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said southern regions and towns must prepare for the approaching rainy season. A food supply network for Ho Chi Minh City was suggested by him.

“Do not allow unsafety and food shortages,” the Deputy Minister warned.

He urged provincial and city departments of agriculture and rural development to boost e-commerce to reduce release supply pressure. 

MARD has formed a Working Group to monitor agricultural product delivery throughout the provinces' social distance. He stated, "Difficulties may be presented to the Working Group to tackle quickly."

Despite the rise in veggies prices, Lam Dong claims to be able to provide 6,000-7,000 tons each day. To help the quarantined region, the provincial agriculture agency approached Ho Chi Minh City.

Sell at the apartment building, the retail association suggests. The "3 on-site" rule will decrease packaged and processed goods supply by up to 50% (due to the shutdown of some factories).

The organization wants municipal governments to apply distance in a practical way, rather than letting products collect in the area of production with nowhere to go.

It is essential to have detailed instruction in all agricultural supply phase

Businesses that buy vegetables and fruits have not been given explicit guidelines since Directive 16. No guidelines on how to operate under diseased circumstances exist in pre-processing facilities. A scarcity of market goods is also caused by the restricted regions.

This includes harvesting, pre-processing facilities, transportation, and consumption, according to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association's spokesperson.

Businesses must work with the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to create a secure supply chain for vegetables and fruits.

Open traditional marketplaces in Can Tho

Can Tho discovered hardship in shipping. The transit truck must pass through numerous pandemic control posts. The province encourages provinces and municipalities to retain traditional marketplaces to assist farmers. To regulate food prices and ensure steady production, the province must cooperate with the Central Authority.

This concept of delivering commodities and raising animals to provinces requires a priority system.

Dong Thap urges MARD to establish a closed collect and buy a chain for communities to speed consumption.

Tra Vinh has no unsold or stalled commodities. Rice provides 70% of the demand for consumption outside the province, cattle 50%, and seafood 60-65%.

According to a spokesman of the Tra Vinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the consumption of agricultural goods was clogged during the period of social distance because drivers were afraid of the pandemic.

Ho Chi Minh City examines public demands. HCM City Director of Industry and Trade Bui Ta Hung Vu said that he had examined the city's requirements. Vegetables will be short by 1,500 tons, while eggs will be short by 300,000-400,000. The data above is based on 9 connection points.

Tay Ninh will deliver to Ho Chi Minh City  20,000 tons of veggies and 40,000 tons of rice in the next 14 days. However, the province has logistical challenges. Factory closures will cause long-term production constraints. Stocks are expected to be low. The province promoted manufacturing.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said he will cooperate with Industry and Trade to create green channels for agricultural goods.

Ho Chi Minh City tries to avoid wholesale marketplaces. The city intends to link up with provincial cooperatives to expedite shipping. And the city is reopening wholesale and traditional marketplaces.

However, Ho Chi Minh City still lacks 3 million eggs and 2,000 tons of vegetables. Fertilizer costs rise, pushing up the price of vegetables and fruits by 10%. Cattle meat prices will rise marginally as animal feed costs rise.

Five urgent Southern provinces responsibilities

Mr. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of MARD, addressed the meeting, stressing five immediate actions to ensure the agricultural production chain, including monitoring supply forecast from now until the end of the year; provinces must report slaughter production facilities to ensure supply chain continuity; MARD and MoIT create all favorable co-operation opportunities; provinces should coordinate with the MoIT to strengthen the situation of agricultural product supply chain development; ensure the labor forces serving production and circulation. 

According to MARD, food costs in Ho Chi Minh City rose month-to-month in June and July. Food costs rose by 0.46 percent over the previous month, while consumer demand in HCMC is projected at 10 million people.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development advises supply capacity transformation to guarantee seamless distribution of commodities to customers in the region in the event of a pandemic.

In general, people shop in supermarkets and convenience shops for food. People still have to wait in lengthy queues to purchase necessities due to social distance and mass gathering bans.

Traders' purchases of agricultural goods have slowed or ceased owing to the pandemic. Agricultural prices dropped significantly when epidemics coincided with harvest season.

The main problem is the flow of commodities. Agri-transport vehicles must comply with quarantine and undergo a lot of inspection at checkpoints while driving on national, provincial, and district roadways.