Need to bring price-stabilized goods to rural areas

(Baonghean) -The price stabilization program is one of the measures to help control inflation and stabilize the macro economy. In Nghe An, this is the third year the province has implemented the program, however, it seems that this program has not really made an impression, meeting the set goals as well as the needs of the people.

To ensure price and market stability, prevent adverse impacts on production and people's lives, Lunar New Year is an occasion for localities to implement price stabilization programs. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year of Nham Thin this year, Nghe An also continues to pay attention to and direct this issue. However, facing the general difficulties of the economy, if in 2010, the province spent more than 70 billion VND for businesses to purchase goods with 0% interest rate for 3 months, this year, that source of money "shrinks" to 34,770 billion VND. Accordingly, 8 businesses are entitled to interest rate support loans to proactively source stabilized goods: Vietnam - Laos Economic Cooperation Joint Stock Company, Huu Nghi Joint Stock Company, Minh Phuong Company Limited, Hoang Long Food Processing Joint Stock Company, Intimex Nghe An Branch, General Agricultural Import - Export Joint Stock Company, Son Hai Company Limited and Thanh Nghe Tinh Food Joint Stock Company. There are 5 groups of stabilized goods during the Lunar New Year this year: rice of all kinds (7.1 billion VND), sticky rice of all kinds (480 million VND), sugar (14.25 billion VND), confectionery (2.25 billion VND), cooking oil (10.64 billion VND).

It must be affirmed that price stabilization is a major policy, one of the measures contributing to curbing inflation and stabilizing the economy. However, in reality, the implementation process has encountered many difficulties. Price stabilization points of sale are too few compared to actual consumer demand and are mainly in supermarkets and stores with participating businesses: Intimex, Vietnam-Laos Economic Cooperation Joint Stock Company..., while the target audience is the poor and low-income people. In 2010, the whole province organized 6 price stabilization points of sale, but only 1 point was in Dien Chau Town implemented by Dien Chau General Trading Joint Stock Company, the rest were concentrated in Vinh City.

Price-stabilized goods need to be brought to rural areas. Illustrative photo.

This year, with limited funds, businesses are not interested in participating, and implementation at rural locations is even more difficult. However, according to Mr. Tran Duc Chinh - Acting Head of the Trade Management Department - Department of Industry and Trade, the industry is planning to meet with businesses to discuss implementation methods, asking businesses to combine with the program of bringing Vietnamese goods to rural areas to open more points of sale to serve people.

Ms. Ton Nu Hai Yen in Ben Thuy ward is concerned: The price stabilization points of sale are mainly in the supermarket system, which is not accessible to people in the city (because most people have the habit of shopping at markets and grocery stores), let alone people in the countryside. Therefore, the program only reaches a small group of high-income consumers in the city, not to mention workers with average or low incomes. She said that last Tet, she went shopping at Intimex supermarket, the price stabilization cooking oil area was not located in an easy-to-see position, the words "price stabilization goods" were posted on a small piece of paper, which did not make an impression on the program or on people who went shopping. Although the province and the Department of Industry and Trade have issued documents directing agencies and enterprises to strengthen inspection and control measures to comply with legal regulations, take measures to ensure adequate supply of goods, especially essential goods, and absolutely not allow shortages, speculation, hoarding of goods, causing price fever, negatively affecting people's lives. But in reality, the sale of stabilized goods at supermarkets cannot control the phenomenon of some people taking advantage of buying stabilized goods to sell outside.

Raising the question of why we do not organize to assign some businesses to sell directly in rural areas at reduced prices so that the products will reach consumers and the poor, Mr. Nguyen Tai Dung - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade said that, compared to the demand for goods during Tet, the budget support is just "a drop in the ocean". However, the best thing about the price stabilization program is propaganda, creating a psychological effect, making some small traders and businesses not dare to speculate, lower prices, and raise prices to make a profit in the face of the State's price stabilization policy.

We believe that businesses participating in the price stabilization program will receive interest rate support, attracting customers to buy products. That means businesses participating in this program will benefit, but the program only serves a small group of people in society, so it has not created the desired effect. Therefore, to ensure the practicality of the program, stabilized goods need to be brought to rural areas so that low-income workers can benefit. Accordingly, related industries need to have a plan to expand the price stabilization sales area, increase sales points, not just stop at supermarkets and some retail stores.

Thu Huyen