The impact of the Covid-19 epidemic is posing many challenges to ensuring supplies and meeting demands. At the same time, it also poses a risk of food shortages in the last months of the year, especially during the Lunar New Year…

Online conference to promote consumption of agricultural products, September 13, 2021.

The story of finding a way to solve the goods disruption issue continues to be the topic presented by localities and associations at the online conference: “Promoting consumption of agricultural products in the context of Covid-19 prevention and control”. chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, September 13, 2021.

At the conference, localities and associations also proposed to support businesses to maintain production, prevent supply chains disruption, as well as losing orders and minimize business bankruptcy due to the pandemic period.

Risk of food shortage at the end of the year

Reporting at the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that the strong outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic in many localities, especially the southern provinces, had seriously affected the operation of the country’s production, harvesting, circulation, consumption and export of agricultural products lead to disruption of production chains, causing congestion of agricultural products.

Most agricultural producers and processing enterprises face difficulties and lack of capital to maintain production. Many businesses have difficulty in transporting materials and agricultural products in and out of production areas, where localities are implementing social distancing.

Deputy Minister Tien said: “Agricultural production in the first eight months of 2021 basically takes the initiative in demand, export turnover also achieved positive results, but the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic is posing many challenges to ensure ensure year-end supply and meet order demand. At the same time, it also poses a risk of food shortages in the last months of the year, especially during the Lunar New Year.”

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first eight months of 2021, the export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products reached US$17.9 billion, up 11.5% over the same period in 2020, accounting for 8.4% of the total export turnover of all industries. In general, 7/9 products in the group of agricultural and aquatic products recorded growth in the first 8 months of 2021.

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first eight months of 2021, the export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products reached US$17.9 billion, up 11.5% over the same period in 2020, accounting for 8.4% of the total export turnover of all industries. In general, 7/9 products in the group of agricultural and aquatic products recorded growth in the first 8 months of 2021.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecasts that the world demand for agricultural products will increase by an average of 1.5-3.0% per year in the period of 2019 – 2028, opening many opportunities for Vietnam’s agricultural and aquatic product exports. The ministry also made recommendations to soon remove bottlenecks that businesses face such as credit access, tax policies, specialized inspection, high costs, etc.

According to the People’s Committee of Tien Giang province, the epidemic has caused the selling price of many fruits to be low, especially dragon fruit, pineapple (pineapple), lemon, etc. Although there is no backlog of agricultural products, the products are priced lower than compared to other products. from 5,000-10,000 VND/kg of all kinds in the same period, due to a sharp decrease in purchasing power.

The leader of Lao Cai province said that in the 8 months of 2021, agricultural products exported through Lao Cai border gate reached over 830 thousand tons (up 19.6% over the same period in 2020), the value reached nearly 700 million USD (up 26 USD). 1% over the same period in 2020).

However, since July, due to the complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic in Vietnam, the Chinese side has taken many measures to tighten the import of agricultural products from Vietnam (especially fresh fruit products).

Develop a plan to restore production

Phan The Tuan, Vice Chairman of Bac Giang Provincial People’s Committee, said that despite being heavily affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, in the first eight months of this year, the province’s economy still achieved a high growth rate and recovered quickly. In August 2021 alone, the industrial production value of the whole province was estimated at VND 27,500 billion, the highest ever.

Bac Giang ranks fourth nationwide in terms of total chickens and pigs; has the first lychee growing area in the country with more than 28,000 ha.

In particular, the last lychee crop took place in the context of a strong outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, greatly affecting production and consumption. However, with positive measures and the participation of the whole political system, with the help of ministries, departments, branches and localities, the consumption of lychee is still going smoothly, helping citizens to reach high level of income.

Noting the efforts of many localities in the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic to maintain appropriate production and business, and minimize damage, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh highly appreciated some provinces. The city has a solution, orientation to repel the epidemic, develop production and business.

Based on the proposals of ministries, branches, localities and businesses, the Government will study, consider and soon issue appropriate Directives for implementation in the near future.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh suggested that key agricultural production localities focus on applying the “harvesting and transporting” model in large agricultural production areas, developing a system of purchasing agents in their localities, cooperate with processing facilities, have a plan to support farmers in harvesting, transporting and consuming agricultural products.

Request the People’s Committees of the provinces to hold meetings with enterprises, coordinate with professional agencies and enterprises to develop production recovery plans.

It is recommended that localities ensure the circulation of goods in accordance with the direction of the Central Government, without additional procedures and papers, and absolutely must ensure not to spread the disease during the circulation of goods.

At the same time, there are policies to support car owners, drivers, means of transporting agricultural products along green channels to facilitate consumption of agricultural products and circulation of agricultural materials…

The Deputy Prime Minister asked units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to advise solutions on the market, especially the expansion of export markets, especially the official market.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development urgently urges localities to implement the farming plan in accordance with the plan built at the beginning of the year. In particular, localities in epidemic areas will combine with places where there is no epidemic to jointly produce to ensure the quantity of goods for Tet.

In the coordination work, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to cooperate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Customs, to establish an interdisciplinary working group to promptly solve the arising issues related to the production and consumption of agricultural products, especially at border gates.

For the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank, and the Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the study to have mechanisms and policies to support capital for enterprises producing, processing and exporting agricultural products to overcome difficulties.

Source: vneconomy.vn