HCM CITY — Supermarkets in HCM City have assured there will be no short supply of foodstuffs and other essential goods until the end of the extended social distancing period on June 30, a deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade has said.

Nguyễn Nguyên Phương said his department has drafted plans to provide more than 10,000 tonnes of food daily to consumers and has programmes to connect with 22 provinces to ensure sufficient supply of foods.

The supply of agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits, foods and livestock and poultry meat from provinces remains smooth, supply is enough to meet demand and prices are steady, he said.

Some 8,000 tonnes of vegetables and fruits are available daily at the Bình Điền, Hóc Môn and Thủ Đức wholesale markets, enough to meet 70 per cent of demand.

The remaining 30 per cent is met by supermarkets and other large distributors.

Supply is abundant

Many people have been rushing to stock up on food, but Phương said they need not be worried about any possible shortage.

He has instructed enterprises to enhance online sales to reduce gatherings.

Many major supermarkets have increased supply and worked out long-term plans to ensure sufficient availability of essential goods.

Retailers and production and business units are also encouraged to offer discounts to share the burden with consumers amid the pandemic.

Nguyễn Anh Đức, general director of the Saigon Union of Trading Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op), said besides joining the programme to help stabilise prices, it has also carried out many promotions.

From now until July 10, its Co.opmart and Co.opXtra chains would reduce prices by 25-50 per cent and have buy-one-get-one-free offers on more than 3.5 million COVID-19-prevention items like cloth masks and hand sanitisers, and more than 10,000 essential items would be sold at discounted prices, he said.

The prices of cooking oil, sugar, rice, packaged foods, and nutritious drinks are discounted by 20-30 per cent, and those of pork, seafood, vegetables, and fruits by 15-20 per cent.

Big C supermarket is carrying out the ‘Fruit Festival Programme’ to encourage customers to buy seasonal fruits from other provinces and support struggling farmers.

On June 19 the city People’s Committee replaced Directive No.15 with Directive No.10 to make social distancing stricter, banning gatherings of more than three people, instead of the earlier five, in public places and outside of offices, schools and hospitals and requiring people to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres in public.

It also closes all non-essential businesses and temporary markets, and requires the public to refrain from leaving home except for buying food or medicine, getting emergency care or working in factories. VNS