Hanoi (VNA)ꦚ - Big cities and provinces in the country have completed stockpiling of goods reserves keeping in mind the increase in demand in the coming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecast that the demand for goods in the Tet holiday would increase by 15 percent to 20 percent over the previous years. This was the reason that the ministry had asked departments of industry and trade to have plans in place for ensuring supply of goods for the festival, in which price stabilisation should be given priority. The Hanoi's Department of Industry and Trade said the total amount of essential goods for the holiday was estimated at 21.6 trillion VND (more than 1 billion USD). Enterprises producing confectionery, beer, soft drinks and milk in the city have stored around 6.7 trillion VND (312 million USD) worth of items. The trade village produces goods for Tet such as agricultural food processing, confectionery, textiles, and tea, apart from vermicelli and tapioca, and has total value of goods in reserve of over 2 trillion VND (93 million USD). Commercial centres and supermarkets had a reservation for essential goods worth 2.7 trillion VND (126 million USD). In addition, businesses would stockpile and sell essential goods at 1,164 stores, organising 12 Vietnamese goods fairs and nine Vietnamese goods weeks in the outskirts and processing zones in the capital. HCM City would have several new specialities from localities with stable and reasonable prices for the holiday. Supply of goods would come from three sources including firms participating in market price stabilisation programmes (30 percent to 40 percent of market shares), three wholesale markets for fruits, vegetables and seafood (60 percent to 70 percent) and other businesses (10 percent to 20 percent). The total goods value in the city reserved for Tet was 16.2 trillion VND (754 million USD), increasing 462 billion VND in comparison with the previous festival. The city would have 9,025 price stabilisation points, increasing 238 points from the beginning of the year. The amount of goods at the three wholesale markets has been between 14,000 tonnes and 15,000 tonnes a day, increasing 80 percent from the normal days. Central Da Nang city has also prepared plans for price stabilisation while ensuring the demand for essential goods. The total goods reserved value was up to 192 billion VND (8.93 million USD) for cooking oil, canned foods, confectionery, and 12 billion VND for rice. In the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, goods available for sale are worth an estimated 2.5 trillion VND (116.3 million USD). The city's demand for goods in the year-end month was estimated at 10 percent to 15 percent higher than previous months. A representative from the Department of Industry and Trade in the southern Binh Duong Province said most businesses in the locality planned to reserve goods, which was 20 percent higher than previous years. The ministry established six working groups in charge of uncovering smuggling and trade fraud cases, and monitoring food hygiene, particularly much-consumed goods such as alcohol, cigarettes and other beverage. It would conduct special checks on imported goods such as alcohol, beverages and cigarettes to prevent entry of counterfeit and smuggled goods. It also asked the departments to enhance check-ups on food hygiene and safety and fluctuation. The officials from various localities have promulgated several directives asking businesses to ensure goods supply before and after Tet holiday.-VNA