Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market closed from the morning of July 7. Previously, the city's two remaining wholesale markets, Hoc Mon and Binh Dien markets, and many traditional markets in the city also temporarily suspended operations to handle Covid-19 epidemic prevention. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade has planned to increase reserves by up to 500%, regulate goods and agricultural products to other markets, and ensure supply to the market.
Many markets stop operating due to COVID-19
On the morning of July 7, the Thu Duc City People's Committee announced that Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market will temporarily suspend operations from 8:00 a.m. on July 7 until there are sufficient conditions to ensure safety in Covid-19 prevention and control, and at the same time transport goods out of the market area no later than 8:00 p.m. on the same day.
Thu Duc City People's Committee assessed that the Covid-19 epidemic situation in the area is becoming more and more complicated; at Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market, there have been cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The temporary suspension of operations is for Thu Duc Agricultural Market Management and Trading Joint Stock Company to complete plans to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic. The transportation, delivery, and receipt of goods are coordinated online, delivered to customers without being directly at Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market, ensuring the smooth circulation of goods to consumers and ensuring epidemic prevention safety.
Previously, on June 28, after 19 consecutive cases of Covid-19 appeared, Hoc Mon agricultural wholesale market, Hoc Mon district, had to temporarily suspend operations until July 15 to carry out disinfection and sterilization of the entire market. The exchange and sale of goods has been switched to home delivery; no buying and selling at the market.
Traders and residents in Tan My Market area (District 7) tested for COVID-19 in the community
At Binh Dien Wholesale Market, in the face of the increasingly complicated Covid-19 epidemic situation in District 8; many Covid-19 cases appeared at the market. The People's Committee of District 8 requested the Board of Directors of Binh Dien Wholesale Market Management and Business Company to temporarily suspend the activities of gathering, delivering goods, and direct trading at Binh Dien Wholesale Market from 8:00 a.m. on July 6; change the form of transportation, delivery, and receipt of goods to the form of online coordination, delivering to customers who do not directly perform at Binh Dien Wholesale Market to ensure that goods reach consumers.
In addition to the 3 wholesale markets that had to temporarily close, as of the morning of July 7, the whole city of Ho Chi Minh City had nearly 110 markets and about 60 supermarkets and convenience stores closed to handle epidemic prevention due to Covid-19 cases having visited and traded. On July 6, in some areas where the ward People's Committee announced that they would soon apply lockdown measures, people flocked to supermarkets to stockpile goods.
Increasing the amount of goods in reserve by up to 500%
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade increased the amount of goods in reserve by up to 500%, ensuring supply to the market.
To ensure the supply of goods from localities to Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Industry and Trade has a plan to regulate food and essential goods in the area. Specifically, the Department requested the Department of Industry and Trade of provinces/cities to support information to traders in the area who are trading goods at the two wholesale markets of Hoc Mon, Thu Duc, and Binh Dien to temporarily stop transporting goods to the market, organize transactions, and bring goods directly to traditional markets.
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the city also has a plan to increase the supply capacity of traditional markets and modern distribution systems (chains of convenience stores) with the view of strengthening the protection of these systems to maintain the key role in supplying essential goods to the people.
Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh City Industry and Trade Department maintains the anti-epidemic period with the amount of goods increased by 150–50% compared to normal, diverse goods, stable prices, ready to meet the increased needs of people; develop plans and solutions for processing, storing, transporting, circulating, and consuming agricultural products in the system, striving to increase the consumption of safe food and disease-safe agricultural products by two times or more compared to the previous year.
Convenience stores in Ho Chi Minh City are becoming an important distribution and retail channel for goods for the city.
For example, in District 7, the large market Tam My Market and the large supermarket Lotte Mart have had to temporarily suspend operations due to the appearance of Covid-19 infections. However, the convenience store system is still operating 24/7, providing enough goods for people's needs. Ms. Phuong My Hang, residing in the Sunrise City View residential area on Nguyen Huu Tho Street, said: “Right in the area where I live, there are 4 convenience stores with abundant goods. Only the price of green vegetables is slightly higher than usual; the prices of other items are stable.”
Representatives of other major food retailers in Ho Chi Minh City, such as Saigon Co.op (Co.opmart, Co.opXtra, Co.op Food systems), Central (Big C, Go!) systems, Satra (Satra Food store system, Saigon supermarket, Satra Pham Hung supermarket, Satra Cu Chi), VinMart, VinMart+, Lotte Mart, and MM Mega Market, informed that they have prepared 3-5 times more fresh food, vegetables, tubers, fruits, and essential goods to prepare for the situation of increased shopping volume in the coming days.
Regarding pork, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and Dong Nai Province (the locality with the largest supply in the country) have coordinated to ensure sufficient supply for the market. Mr. Nguyen Tri Cong, Chairman of Dong Nai Livestock Association, said: "Currently, the price of live pigs in the Southeast region is about 55,000-660,000 VND/kg; the supply is abundant, enough to supply the market; there is no sudden price increase."
According to Hanoimoi.com.vn