Distribution of agricultural products disrupted due to the Covid-19

As provinces and cities tighten Covid-19 control, restricting people and goods coming from Hai Duong province, on Feb 16, Mr. Nguyen Duong Thai - Chairman of Hai Duong Provincial People's Committee sent an offical letter to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the People's Committee of Hai Phong city, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province and other bordering provinces and cities, asking them to facilitate goods circulation.

In Hai Duong province, there are 4,087 hectares of vegetables in the winter crop awaiting harvest with an output of about 90,767 tons, including 55,902 tons of onion, 26,766 tons of carrots, and 8,100 tons of cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and other vegetables.

However, after Hai Duong implemented social distancing, some provinces and cities bordering Hai Duong did not let Hai Duong's carts go through, even the transfer of loads at adjacent posts were not allowed, causing a disruption in the distribution of farm produce.

“To strictly comply with Directive No.05/CT-TTG dated January 28, 2021 of the Prime Minister, which requires ‘Ensuring smooth transportation of goods and raw materials for production’, the People's Committee of Hai Duong province respectfully proposes the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Hai Phong City People's Committee, Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, the People's Committees of bordering provinces and cities to direct relevant units, disease control stations, People's Committees of communes, wards and townships in the area to facilitate and allow vehicles, drivers and freight forwarders of enterprises in Hai Duong province (that have fully applied the epidemic prevention measures as prescribed) to go through these localities for timely circulation of goods”, said the proposal signed by Mr. Nguyen Duong Thai.

More than 90 thousand tons of farm produce stuck in Hai Duong

As Hai Phong City stopped accepting all citizens and goods from Hai Duong province, Mr. Nguyen Duc Thuat, Director of Duc Chinh Agricultural Service Cooperative (Cam Giang, Hai Duong), worriedly said: This year, Duc Chinh's carrots still receive good export orders from many markets such as Malaysia, Japan, and Middle East countries. Each day, the cooperative has about 30-35 containers (equivalent to about 800 tons/day) to be transported through Hai Phong city to export by sea to other countries. It means that tens of thousands of tons of carrots of the cooperative will be delayed from exporting.

In Tu Ky district (Hai Duong), Ms. Vu Thi Ha, Chairperson of the District People's Committee, said that the consumption of agricultural products, especially vegetables in the winter 2020-2021 crop in the district began to face difficulties.

“The kohlrabi grows very fast. If traders from other provinces stop receiving goods in the coming time, the consumption of this crop will be seriously disrupted.” Ms. Ha worried.

According to the People's Committee of Hai Duong province, there are now 4,087 hectares of vegetables in the winter crop awaiting harvest with an output of about 90,767 tons, including 55,902 tons of onions, 26,766 tons of carrots (of which 90% is exported), 8,100 tons of cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and other vegetables of all kinds (70% for domestic consumption)...

At wholesale markets for vegetables and fruits in Hai Phong on February 17, although the purchasing power decreased significantly, prices of some agricultural products started to increase.

At the wholesale market of Nam Cau Binh (the largest wholesale market for vegetables and fruits in Hai Phong), nearly half of the traders import goods from Hai Duong, but now have to resort to inner districts or other provinces not yet affected by Covid-19 such as Hung Yen, Thai Binh, with higher, even doubled prices.

Ms. Bui Thi Che, the largest fruit and vegetable trader in Van My Market who often imports goods from the Nam Cau Binh wholesale market said that goods from Hai Duong cannot pass, so they have to import from other sources with high prices. For example, the price of onion increased from VND 6,000/1kg to VND 15,000/1kg, the price of carrots increase from VND 4 - 5,000/1kg to VND 9,000/1kg.