With a “headache” due to agricultural products consumption in pandemic region, Ministry of Industry and Trade asks the Prime Minister for help

Until February 15, 2021, total volume of agricultural products of Hai Duong is 90,760 tonnes thaty have not consumed yet. Source: Internet

Many localities “avoid” Hai Duong

The People's Committee of Chi Linh City (Hai Duong) recently sent a document to the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade to request support to consume about 650,000 Chi Linh chickens, equivalent to about 1,625 tonnes, due to congestion caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a document signed by Nguyen Van Kien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chi Linh City, at present, the chickens are coming to market, but due to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, consumption is facing many difficulties.

The People's Committee of Chi Linh City requested the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade connect the consumption of Chi Linh chicken products to reduce damage to breeders. The proposal for connecting for chicken consumption is the next call for help for the consumption of many agricultural products of Hai Duong recently.

A quick report of the Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hai Duong province said the agricultural products could not be sold or consumed in moderation. The production and consumption of agricultural products in Hai Duong province has been severely affected.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that, facing difficulties in agricultural products consumption in the pandemic-hit area, the ministry has connected major distribution firms to coordinate with localities to promote the consumption of agricultural products having large volume, harvested but facing difficulties in consumption.

However, in implementation, there are a number of difficulties in the circulation of goods and consumption of agricultural goods of some localities in Hai Duong province and neighboring provinces.

The purchase, transportation and consumption of agricultural products is stuck when traders cannot transport agricultural products due to pandemic prevention regulations in many localities bordering Hai Duong.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Hai Duong, most of the Covid-19 pandemic control stations and posts at the gateway bordering neighbour provinces and cities are restricted from vehicles entering and leaving Hai Duong. Many cars have to wait a long time and then still have to turn around.

This makes the goods congested, agricultural products are damaged, causing many difficulties for the goods to be delivered due to the due date, causing damage to production and business activities, as well as people's lives.

On February 16, 2021, Hai Duong province announced the implementation of social distancing in the province. That afternoon, Hai Phong city issued Notice No. 62/TB-UBND, in which the first content is Hai Phong stops receiving all citizens and goods moving from Hai Duong to Hai Phong.

After Hai Phong, other localities also chose to behave similarly.

Instructions for pandemic prevention are inappropriate

As reflected from localities and firms, the implementation of the request for testing the Covid-19 virus of the Ministry of Health in Official Letter No. 898/YT-MT dated February 7, 2021 on guidance for the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic in the transport of goods, there are many inappropriate points leading to congestion of agricultural products and difficult to be sold in the domestic market and in export markets.

"The difficulties as mentioned above directly affect production and business, first of all, Hai Duong province, in addition to other localities because Hai Duong province is located at the centre of the development triangle of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh - Hai Duong," the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

Notably, many goods in Hai Duong are processed products and the input materials are assembled in chains at factories in other provinces and cities.

If these difficulties cannot be solved, the supply chain may be affected or even broken, affecting the production, business activities and socio-economic development of many localities.

To support and facilitate the circulation, import, export and consumption of goods, especially raw materials for production and agricultural products in pandemic-hit localities, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed to the Prime Minister. The Government directed the Ministry of Health to provide unified guidance on the circulation of people, goods and vehicles between pandemic-hit localities and other places, avoiding the current self-application of each locality.

Direct and mobilise units capable of testing for the Covid-19 virus to support provinces with localities hit by the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure maximally serving the needs of testing drivers and escorts in the shortest time possible to minimise congestion in the circulation of goods.

The Ministry of Health is the focal point and coordinates with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to uniformly direct specialised units in localities hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in certifying that goods and agricultural products are safe.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health also works with the Ministry of Transport to provide unified guidance and clear regulations on safety measures for Covid-19 prevention for people, vehicles and goods for goods circulation through pandemic-hit areas and other localities.