Hanoi and other localities boost trade links for farm produce

The close connection between Hanoi and other cities and provinces has helped balance supply and demand and stabilize selling prices.

Businesses participating in the event. Photos: Hoai Nam/The Hanoi Times

Participating businesses shared their ideas at the 2022 supply-demand trade conference, which was hosted by the Hanoi Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion (HPA) on November 23.

As a participant in the event, Director of Ha Trung Production and Trading Co., Ltd (Phu Yen Province) Nguyen Thi Ha said that as a small company in the South-Central Coast, trade links would enable the company to bring regional products to Hanoi consumers.

Hanoi is home to 28 commercial centers, 132 supermarkets, 453 traditional markets, 2,000 convenience stores, and tens of thousands of grocery stores in districts and towns.

In addition, Hanoi's suppliers include 128 agro-food and products selling chains, 159 chains linking production to consumption of agro-forestry products, 926 chains and suppliers of agro-forestry-fishery products in 43 provinces and cities, and 60 showrooms selling products under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.

Besides, the city has 35 businesses operating in omni-channels, including e-commerce platforms, supermarkets, distribution systems, and websites.

Ha added: “The consumption of goods in the city also helps ensure the selling price, making local farmers earn high incomes. In addition, Phu Yen businesses could learn Hanoi's large retailers for better design, packaging, and product quality requirements of distributors.”

In the first 10 months of this year, Hanoi’s distributors have supported the consumption of 52,000 tons of fruits and agricultural products from the provinces and cities of the Red River Delta.

Under the provinces/cities’ One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, more than 60 showrooms selling OCOP products in the city have been opened.

The city also coordinated with the provinces and cities of the Red River Delta to organize a week promoting fruit and agricultural products at the BigC Thang Long supermarket, Me Linh Plaza, and Mipec shopping center.

Removing barriers

Regional products are on display at the event.

However, the trade connection between the city and other provinces to bring regional goods into the distribution system has not yet been smooth.

Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong, a representative of Thailand-invested Central Retail, said that few large-scale wholesalers are operating in the provinces, making it difficult for Hanoi's firms to purchase large quantities of goods when needed.

In addition, many agricultural products of the provinces have not met the requirements for registration procedures, quality inspection, payment methods, collection, preservation, and transportation.

Information about supply-demand has not been discussed timely among stakeholders, leading to the overproduction of some goods and barriers to consumption.

Director of the Soc Trang Provincial Department of Industry and Trade Vo Van Chieu and representatives from many localities expected Hanoi to support businesses from other provinces to boost consumption in the city.

At the same time, he called on organizations, supermarkets, and trade centers of the city to connect with localities to facilitate cooperation opportunities.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade needs to organize a national trade promotion campaign to support inter-provincial consumption and export.