According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, at traditional markets, the number of buyers has decreased significantly and the city is no longer short of vegetables and food.

At a press conference on the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of July 19, Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, said that the shopping situation of city residents has decreased significantly in recent days.

“Especially at traditional markets, the quantity of goods and the number of buyers have decreased. There are cases of surplus, remaining goods and having to be brought back. The city is no longer short of vegetables and food,” Mr. Phuong affirmed.

Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade.

This afternoon, 44 traditional markets in the city opened, supplying goods and food to people.

Mr. Phuong also admitted that the supply of goods to the city has been difficult in the past time. The reason is that the forces deployed to localities are still mechanical and rigid, affecting the purchasing and transportation of goods.

In the context that many provinces and cities are affected by social distancing, Mr. Phuong said that the Department of Industry and Trade is reviewing the supply source and reporting difficulties as well as the possibility of impact on revenue.

The Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City has contacted the Department of Industry and Trade of provinces and cities for support, finding suppliers capable of connecting and meeting the source of goods for the city.

"With the efforts of the distribution system and purchasing network, we have also mobilized many units with capacity, facilities, and means to participate in connecting businesses with the supply of goods to bring goods to the city in a timely manner," said Mr. Phuong.

Mr. Phuong added that recently, Ho Chi Minh City has implemented a market stabilization program and has been very effective at times when commodity prices have increased dramatically.

However, Mr. Phuong admitted that at some times, rice prices in Ho Chi Minh City and the Western provinces increased even though there was no shortage of rice; or sometimes poultry eggs also increased very high.

Mr. Phuong affirmed that the price increase in recent days was completely unrelated to speculation and hoarding, but was due to difficulties and malfunctions in the distribution system due to the epidemic situation. Up to now, the distribution system has been developed and relatively met the market's requirements.

Despite the difficulties, the distribution system and market stabilization enterprises still tried to keep the prices of essential food and foodstuffs at the correct market stabilization prices, leading to a difference between prices in supermarkets and outside.

According to Mr. Phuong, the Department's inspectors and specialized departments have organized to monitor and supervise the supply of goods in modern supply chains. On July 20, the Department will work with the Market Management Department to increase inspections, controls, and immediately handle cases of taking advantage of price differences to collect goods and raise prices.