Localities have provided enterprises with 2.1 trillion VND (113.5 million USD) so they can reserve more goods for the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays to avoid rising prices and shortages of goods.

Up to now, companies have stockpiled abundant goods to meet the holiday demand, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu said in an online meeting with localities on Tet preparations on February 8.

According to the ministry, the market and consumption are increasing thanks to consumer confidence and the recovery of the economy.

Overall, demand for goods has risen by 10 percent over the same period last year, and some regions could see a surge of 20-30 percent, Tu said.

In Hanoi, a representative of the municipal’s Department of Industry and Trade said that demand for goods has risen by 20 percent. Companies involving in stabilising the market have stockpiled 4,510 tonnes of rice, 2,420 tonnes of beef and poultry, 940 tonnes of frozens seafood and 80 tonnes of confections and jam.

The Northern Foodstuff Corporation has also prepared 50,000 tonnes of rice to serve people’s Tet. For Hanoi, the corporation would provide 2,000 tonnes of rice.

Trading centres and supermarkets like Metro, Big C and Intimex also have plans to reserve goods worth 1 trillion VND (54 million USD).

HCM City’s Department of Industry and Trade said that it has given 422 billion VND (22.8 million USD) to 13 qualified companies. It also asked enterprises to start providing commodities to remote areas and industrial zones.

The city also has more than 1,500 stores to sell goods, doubling the number of last year.

A representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in southern Dong Nai province, where there are many employees working for industrial zones, said that the province has organised four market days and prepared 12 stores that would supply goods until February 11, which is the last but one day of the lunar old year.

Eighteen companies were also asked to sell goods in rural and remote areas, the representative said.

Due to the long holiday (nine days), demand for petrol is expected to go up strongly by 30-35 percent.

The Vietnam National Petroleum Corporation has asked its subsidiaries to ensure a reserve of petrol to last for at least 30 days.

The Electricity of Vietnam has plans to provide power and committed not to cut electricity from February 13-18.
Concluding the meeting, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang once again asked companies to ensure enough goods and provide customers with timely services, enterprises to continue boosting production and market management authorities to foster inspection on the price and quality goods./.