Hanoians join hand to “rescue” Hai Duong’s farm produce

As the epicenter of the new coronavirus wave in the northern region of Vietnam, Hai Duong province has registered 12 cities and districts affected by the pandemic with more than 550 infections, leaving the entire province under lockdown since February 16.

The closure causes severe impacts on the province's transport sector, paralyzing the trading of goods. Many local farmers and businesses have failed to ship their agricultural products of of the province.

In face of the sales stagnation of Hai Duong farm produce, many individuals and volunteer groups are helping local farmers in selling their items around Hanoi city.

The crowd gathered very early in the morning of February 21 at 38 Giai Phong street in the city's Hoang Mai district, waiting for buying agriculture products from Hai Duong province.

According to Thuy, the leader of the volunteer team, her group is helping farmers from Hai Duong province to sell a few agriculture products including guava, kohlrabi, tomatoes, cabbage and eggs.

“These agricultural products are very fresh but dirty-cheap,” Thuy said. For example, the price for tomato is at only VND20,000 for five kilograms; price for kohlrabi is at VND10,000 for four bulbs; and VND30,000 for five kilograms of carrot.

All of these products and trucks have been sprayed with disinfectants twice. They were first disinfected at the loading points and then at the quarantine station. Only drivers in possession of negative test certificates for coronavirus are qualified to operate these trucks.

A Certificate of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hai Duong province, confirms the goods have been quarantined. This helps buyers feel more secure about the safety of the goods.

According to the statistics of Hai Duong province, the amount backlogged goods in the area is very large. There are around 4,100 ha of winter crop which have not been harvested yet, including more than 3,200 ha onions, more than 600ha of carrots and more than 250 ha of cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower and other vegetables. The total output remaining unsold is estimated at 91,000 tons.

Currently, about 90% volume of carrots and 30% of cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, leafy vegetables in Hai Duong province are exported abroad while the rest are consumed domestically.