General Department of State Reserves actively review and balance the national food reserves

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The Department of State Reserves in Ho Chi Minh City performs the work of stockpiling goods. Photo: General Department of Natural Resources

According to information from the Ministry of Finance, to implement Directive No. 24/CT-TTg dated August 5, 2023, of the Prime Minister on firmly ensuring national food security and promoting sustainable rice production and export in the current period, the General Department of State Reserves has actively reviewed and balanced the food resources of the national area; ensure to maintain a reasonable level of inventory, meet the performance of tasks according to the objectives specified in the Law on State Reserves, proactively and quickly and effectively respond to all unexpected and urgent situations, not to let people lack foods and grain, when it is in the lean season or there are natural disasters, and epidemics.

In addition, the General Department of State Revenue closely monitors market developments, forecasts climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics, and ensures food security, and local export demand for close coordination. Closely with relevant ministries and sectors, promptly advise and submit to the Ministry of Finance, and submit to the Prime Minister to supplement the plan and estimate in 2023 to purchase additional food for the national reserve if necessary.

At the same time, this agency has also developed a plan to buy food in 2024 with an appropriate reserve level, ensure that reserve resources are ready for timely release according to decisions of competent authorities, and contribute to participating in stabilizing the market when it is necessary.

The General Department of State Reserve has also concentrated on completing the target of the national food plan in 2023 assigned by the Prime Minister; closely following and coordinating with the winning units, expeditiously completing the stockpiling of the quantity of rice according to the signed contract; carry out the work of preserving and protecting the safety of the quantity and quality of national reserves.

The General Department has also created all conditions for contractors in the implementation of rice contracts; flexibly manage the import and export of food from the national reserves under the 2023 plan at the right time, in accordance with the actual situation, in order to ensure efficient use of national reserve resources.

Especially, in the context of the market with strong fluctuations in supply and demand and food prices at the time of organizing the purchase of rice to be imported into the National Reserve, on August 18, 2023, the General Department of State Revenue issued Document No. 1259/TCDT-KH that requires regional Departments of State Reserve to urgently complete the assigned food plan in 2023.

Accordingly, the General Department of State Reserves requires regional Departments of State Reserve and relevant units to proactively implement solutions, urgently complete rice import under the signed contract; promptly remove difficulties and problems arising in the course of performing tasks according to their competence; closely monitor food market, forecast and assess the impacts affecting the performance of signed national rice purchase contracts to proactively take appropriate solutions to ensure quality and proposed progress. Timely report and propose solutions to the General Department of State Reserves in the arising cases beyond the unit's handling competence.

At the same time, the General Department requested the regional Department of State Reserves to closely coordinate with local authorities in the area to grasp the need for relief and support from the national reserve; report and advise the General Department in directing and operating the import, export, rotation of goods of the national reserve in accordance with the actual situation, ensuring the effective use of national reserve resources.

The General Department of State Reserves requires specialized units to actively review and balance the national reserve resources to promptly advise the General Department to submit to competent authorities for additional purchase plans if necessary; ensure the inventory level of the national reserve, proactively respond to be ready, respond quickly, promptly and effectively in all unexpected and urgent situations; do not let people lack food, lack of rice when being in the lean seasons, natural disasters, epidemics, etc.

Along with that, it is necessary to strengthen the dissemination and mastery of each cadre, civil servant, and employee to strictly observe the provisions of the law on national reserves, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Department of State Reserves in importing, exporting, preserving, protecting and ensuring safety in terms of quantity and quality of national reserves; uphold the sense of responsibility, devotedly serving the people in performing the task of exporting goods from the national reserves, ensuring social security and stabilizing people's lives; strictly prohibit all acts of harassment and negativity in the process of importing and exporting goods from the national reserves; strictly handle violations in accordance with regulations and authority of the unit.