Ho Chi Minh City promotes local agricultural produce at affordable prices

Ho Chi Minh City — Many traders in HCM City have been promoting local agricultural products at affordable prices to maintain market share.

Vegetables are prepared before being sent out to supermarkets for consumption. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Hưng

Many local agricultural products have found quality outputs, while consumers have been able to buy domestic produce at preferential prices and at prices lower than imported goods.

Specifically, at the retail system of the HCM City Union of Trade Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op) such as Co.opXtra, Co.opmart and Co.opfood, fresh green-skinned pomelo is sold at an average price of about VNĐ35,000 (US$1.52), oranges at VNĐ20,000 and watermelon at VNĐ12,000.

Saigon Co.op recently organised a programme called “Vietnamese culinary feast” and offered discounts for seafood, processed food, spices, vegetables and fruits.

Consumers in HCM City are not only able to buy quality and fresh food but save daily expenses via the programme.

Similarly, at the LOTTE Mart’s retail system in HCM City, consumers can easily identify local agricultural products via their distinguished labels.

Along Phạm Văn Đồng Street in Thủ Đức City, locals can now shop a variety of local agricultural products at chain stores which are a part of the HCM City’s Foodshare project.

Nguyễn Văn Lưu, representative of a chain store, said that, as goods were bought directly from farmers without going through many intermediaries, prices were more competitive than the general price levels of similar products sold in HCM City’s markets.

The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated with the Management Board of Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks to pilot selling about 100 items of fresh food and processed food with affordable prices in the zone.

Deputy director of the department Nguyễn Nguyên Phương said that the programme aimed to increase the supply of essential consumer goods for workers and employees, support agricultural production and restore the market.

After Tân Thuận Export Processing Zone and Industrial Park, the campaign will be carried out in other export processing zones and industrial parks such as Linh Trung 1 and Linh Trung 2.

This month, HCM City witnessed the market entry of an integrated retail model “G Market”, which is the first digitised retail model in Việt Nam, providing more than 10,000 essential consumer items with a closed Farm/Factory - Hub - Door model.

G Market is expected to put into operation seven shopping hubs with smart automatic warehouse systems in Thủ Đức City and districts 7, 8, 10, 12, Bình Tân and Bình Thạnh.

For each order successfully placed on www.gmarket24h.com, customers will be given a unique code to enter at the smart automated warehouse to get the goods. They can opt for home delivery as well.

Minh Hương, a resident of Hóc Môn District, said that compared to processed food, domestic vegetables and fruits had a significant decrease in prices compared to the lockdown period.

Since it was easier for people to shop for essential goods on many retail channels, life was almost back to the way it had been before, she said.

Ái Vân, a resident of Thủ Đức City, added that affordable prices helped regain market share of local products and win consumers’ trust.

Many consumers agreed that HCM City should create preferential policies to stimulate consumption of local agricultural products, while businesses and retail units should ensure outputs for these products.