Vietnamplus

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has required the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to control rice prices which had increased in 79 regions nationwide.

The government has viewed price control of key commodities, such as petrol, steel, concrete, transport, livestock feed, food and medical equipment, as a top priority, said deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai in a meeting with ministries and local authorities on March 14.

The Ministry of Finance's Department of Price Management (DPM) has proposed several solutions to curb the rising tendency of inflation after the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Face masks and alcohol-based hand sanitiser have been included on the state price control list which will be proposed to the Thai cabinet on February 4, as part of efforts to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, local media reported.

The Thai Government has tightened its grip on the movement of eight products on the new price control list to curb smuggling from neighbouring countries, shore up domestic prices and prevent a spread of crop diseases.

Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung has asked the sector to enhance price control and market management to prevent any sudden cost hikes before, during or after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday which lasts from February 2-10.

2017 was considered as a successful year in controlling inflation, with the figure kept under the set target of 4 percent compared with 3.53 percent in 2016.

A new decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has given more authority to the State-owned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the largest supplier of electricity in the country, in deciding power prices.

Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Le Minh Hung has urged caution in price control as there will be a great pressure for raising lending rates in the time ahead.