Ensuring food safety and hygiene at rural markets during Tet (Lunar New Year).

Food safety control from the facility level.

Nghe An province has a large geographical area and an unevenly distributed population, with hundreds of traditional markets and informal trading points in rural and mountainous areas. During Tet (Lunar New Year), the volume of food goods flooding these markets increases sharply, mainly livestock, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruits, confectionery, and processed foods. This is also the time when the problem of food of unknown origin, poor quality goods, and violations of hygiene and safety regulations is most likely to occur.

Following the implementation of a two-tiered local government system, the 389 Steering Committee has now been strengthened at the ward and commune levels. Recently, market management, health, agriculture, police, and local authorities have intensified inspections of food business conditions in rural markets, especially for high-risk items such as fresh meat, sausages, confectionery, and homemade liquor. Inspections focus on origin, labeling, expiration dates, storage conditions, stall hygiene, and compliance with food safety regulations.

In Dai Dong commune (formed by the merger of Dai Dong, Dong Van, Thanh Phong, Thanh Ngoc communes and Dung town of the former Thanh Chuong district), following the direction of the 389 Steering Committee of Nghe An province, after the implementation of the two-tiered local government system, the commune's 389 Steering Committee was reorganized and began operating in an orderly manner. Functional forces, primarily the commune police, proactively monitored the situation and organized focused inspections at markets, production and business establishments, goods collection points, and essential goods for Tet such as confectionery, alcoholic beverages, fresh food, and processed food. Through these inspections, cases of trading goods of unknown origin and violating food safety regulations were promptly detected and handled, contributing to deterrence and raising awareness of law compliance among business households.

Mr. Tuong Dang Hao, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dai Dong commune, said: During the 2026 Lunar New Year, the People's Committee of the commune focused on decisively directing efforts to strengthen the prevention and control of smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, and substandard goods, with particular emphasis on ensuring food safety and hygiene to serve the people in celebrating a safe and healthy Tet holiday. In addition, the dissemination of laws on combating counterfeit goods and ensuring food safety was intensified through various forms, helping people raise awareness and proactively choose and consume safe products.

In reality, after the two-tiered local government system came into operation, localities proactively deployed monitoring forces at local markets during peak days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), promptly detecting and preventing unsafe food from entering the market. Inter-agency coordination was carried out regularly and flexibly, avoiding overlapping or overlooked areas, especially in rural markets in remote areas.

Through inspections, many violations were addressed with warnings and prompt corrective action; deliberate trading of food of unknown origin, expired food, and food that did not meet hygiene standards was strictly dealt with according to regulations. The inspections not only aimed to detect and handle violations but also contributed to improving the awareness of traders regarding compliance with the law, creating a healthy and safe business environment in traditional markets.

Raising public awareness and ensuring safety through shopping habits.

Regarding food safety and hygiene during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has promptly issued plans and directives to relevant departments, agencies, and localities for implementation. Based on the clear assignment and decentralization of state management responsibilities for food safety to each sector and level of government, functional forces have simultaneously launched an operation, focusing on inspections from production and transportation to business and trading at markets.

In particular, following the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse and the Spring Festival season of 2026, food safety and hygiene work in the province was implemented comprehensively, decisively, and with a focus. The province issued specialized plans, established inter-agency inspection teams, and organized strict inspections and supervision of food production, processing, and business activities, as well as food service at markets, supermarkets, production facilities, and festival areas, focusing on items that are consumed in large quantities during Tet. Along with checking hygiene conditions, the origin of raw materials, and legal documents, functional forces resolutely dealt with serious violations of food safety regulations.

Simultaneously, efforts to disseminate information and guide businesses and the public in complying with food safety regulations have been intensified, contributing to raising the sense of responsibility of market participants, reducing the risk of food poisoning, protecting public health, and ensuring that people can celebrate Tet and participate in festivals in a safe and healthy atmosphere.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huong, Head of the Market Management Department of Nghe An province (the standing agency of the Provincial Steering Committee 389), said: "The Tet holiday is a sensitive time when the demand for food increases sharply, posing many potential risks of violations. Therefore, market management forces focus on strict control from transportation and storage to retail points, with the principle of strictly handling violations wherever they are detected, resolutely preventing food of unknown origin and counterfeit goods from affecting people's health."

According to Mr. Huong, in addition to imposing administrative penalties and forcing the destruction of confiscated goods, the authorities also intensified propaganda efforts, signed commitments with small traders, and demanded strict adherence to regulations regarding invoices and documents proving the origin of goods. Furthermore, during the Tet holiday, relevant agencies stepped up direct propaganda at the markets through loudspeakers, leaflets, banners, and posters with easily understandable and relatable content.

Simultaneously, consumers are advised to choose food with clear origins, prioritize controlled products, avoid being tempted by cheap prices, and refrain from buying food that shows signs of spoilage, discoloration, or odor. Enhancing consumers' "right to choose safely" is considered an effective monitoring channel, contributing to the elimination of unsafe food from rural markets.

Notably, many localities in the province have proactively developed models of "safe food markets" and "green, clean, and beautiful markets," assigning specific responsibilities to market management boards and individual business owners.

Despite achieving many positive results, ensuring food safety and hygiene in rural markets in Nghe An province still faces numerous difficulties due to uneven awareness among some traders and residents, limited infrastructure in rural markets, and a thin inspection force covering a large area, especially during the Tet holiday season. Notably, recent incidents of trading and transporting contaminated, unidentifiable, or spoiled food such as bamboo shoots, seasoning powder, and animal organs have been repeatedly discovered, indicating a continued disregard for consumer health for profit. If not detected promptly, these goods would certainly be smuggled into the market and reach consumers.