Vinh market traders reopen for business
After a week of closing down to petition for some issues related to taxes, fees and concerns about goods inspection, most of the traders at Vinh market have now returned to business.
90% of kiosks "light up" again
After a week of no traders, the atmosphere at Vinh market - the largest market in Nghe An - was bustling again on June 7. According to reporters, a series of stalls in the main hall area opened simultaneously after many days of silence. The traders quickly cleaned up, rearranged their stalls, and displayed their goods to welcome customers, even though the number of buyers was not really large.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, a household goods trader at Vinh market, said: “After a week of temporary closure, we are forced to return because this is the main source of income for the whole family. If we continue to close, we will have no income, while living expenses and bank interest still have to be paid every day…”
Sharing the same sentiment, Ms. Ph.TB, a clothing retailer, shared: “People closed their shops for two reasons. One is that they want the government to review the tax and fee levels to suit the current difficult reality. The other is because they are worried about sudden inspections. Many people have not had time to complete paperwork or list prices, so they are afraid of having their goods confiscated. And the capital and assets of retailers are almost all invested in these stalls.”
The closure, which lasted for a week, has had a significant impact on commercial activities in Vinh City in particular and the supply of goods in the region in general, especially in the context of the market needing stability after a period of declining purchasing power. If the market continues to close, it will lose its position as a leading commercial center that Vinh market has built over the past decades.
A representative of Vinh Market Management Board said: “As soon as we learned about the situation of small traders closing down, in the past week, we have stepped up our efforts to encourage people to reopen their stalls to avoid disrupting the supply chain of goods. At the same time, the Board also instructed households to prepare all necessary documents, invoices, and price lists so as not to be passive if there is an inspection team. Up to now, about 90% of households at the main market have returned to business, the remaining are still closed, mainly those that previously showed signs of declining revenue.”
However, on June 7, despite being the weekend, which is usually the busiest time of the week, the number of visitors to the market was still at a moderate level. According to records, many stalls, although displaying a variety of goods, were deserted, with stall owners having to wait for hours for customers to come and buy.
“It is possible that people have not heard that the market has reopened, so they have not come to the market. Normally, the weekend is much more crowded. We are coordinating with local media channels to widely propagate and inform people that the market has resumed normal operations,” a representative of Vinh Market Management Board added.
Develop appropriate service pricing plans
Faced with the closure of small traders last week, the Vinh City People's Committee quickly organized a meeting in early June, with the participation of the Department of Industry and Trade, Vinh Market Management Board, Vinh Tan Ward People's Committee and related units.
Mr. Tran Quang Lam - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee affirmed: "Vinh Market is an important commercial center, not only serving people in the city but also many customers from other districts and provinces. Therefore, it is mandatory that the market must operate regularly and continuously, without interrupting the supply chain of goods. Immediately after the closure, we directed the units to increase propaganda, and at the same time required traders to prepare full invoices, documents, and price lists to feel secure in doing business, and fully cooperate if there are inspection teams."
Regarding the traders' petition regarding the price of stall services, Mr. Tran Quang Lam said that the city has directed the Vinh Market Management Board to review the locations of stalls, conduct surveys, and collect opinions from traders to report to the Department of Industry and Trade and other levels and sectors.
“In fact, in recent years, doing business in traditional markets has faced many difficulties due to competition from supermarkets and online markets. Therefore, the construction of new service prices needs to harmonize the interests of the state and the interests of the people, ensuring that they are close to reality while still ensuring budget revenue,” Mr. Lam emphasized.
Speaking to reporters, a representative of the Trade Management Department - Department of Industry and Trade said: We are organizing to collect opinions from traders not only at Vinh market but also other markets in the province to synthesize and present a new service price plan, but have not yet applied it. Therefore, the recent closure of traders at Vinh market is regrettable and unnecessary, because it greatly affects the supply of goods and the consumer market.
It is known that the process of building a new service price list will be carried out publicly and transparently, with the participation of representatives of small traders to create high consensus.
“In the immediate future, we are directing the Vinh Market Management Board to collect people's opinions and will advise the Provincial People's Committee to coordinate with relevant departments and branches to complete the legal basis, ensuring that new service prices are consistent with the practical situation and sustainable trade development trends. In the coming time, we recommend that small traders stabilize their business, trade in goods with clear origin, source, and quality, and comply with legal regulations to ensure consumer rights," added a representative of the Trade Management Department.
The fact that traders are returning to Vinh market after a week of interruption is a positive sign showing the initial consensus between departments, authorities and people. However, to ensure the market operates stably in the long term, it is necessary to continue to have synchronous solutions on service price policies, support for paperwork and procedures, clearly disseminate legal regulations, as well as increase the application of digital technology to improve the competitiveness of traditional markets./.