Hà Nội has prepared enough goods for consumption in Tết this year. Photo chinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Demand for goods for Tết in Hà Nội is forecast to increase by 3 - 20 per cent depending on products, according to the Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade.

In a month, Hà Nội needs 92,970 tonnes of rice; 18,594 tonnes of live pigs; 5,350 tonnes of beef; 103,300 tonnes of vegetables; 52,000 tonnes of fruit; 123.9 million eggs; and 6,198 tonnes of poultry.

The capital can supply 66-94 per cent of the demand, excluding the supply of poultry, which is 72 per cent higher than demand.

Acting director of the Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade Trần Thị Phương Lan said the COVID-19 pandemic was complicated nationwide, especially in the Northern provinces, leading to slow recovery in production and business and difficulties in consumption and transport of goods.

Some essential commodities such as pork, poultry and seafood have low selling prices while the prices of feed and input materials have increased so producers are not interested in re-herding. The supply of these products will be low for Tết.

The department and enterprises now have specific plans to ensure no shortage of goods or sudden increases in price during Tết.

Lan said the department had connected with localities to ensure enough supply of goods for Tết. They include Sơn La, Bắc Giang, Hòa Bình, Yên Bái, Hà Giang, Hà Nam, Quảng Ninh, Lào Cai, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai and Đồng Tháp provinces.

About 44 producers, traders and cooperatives in Hà Nội have registered to supply the essential goods worth VNĐ18 trillion, higher than the department's plan of VNĐ5.6 trillion.

They will also bring price stabilised goods to more than 20,000 points of sale, including 123 supermarkets, 6,800 convenience stores, 13,000 specialised stores, 1,900 selling points at traditional markets, and 500 collective kitchens.

To support provinces and cities in supplying goods for Hà Nội, the City People's Committee of Hà Nội has issued a plan on supporting trade promotion and connection activities between Hà Nội and localities. This creates favourable conditions for the localities in bringing agricultural products, food, and products of the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme to the Hà Nội market.

Lan also said that enterprises participating in the price stabilisation programme in the city had committed to keeping the selling price of essential consumer goods stable before, during and after the Lunar New Year, thereby slowing down the increase rate of price on the market. In addition, in regions with a large number of workers, enterprises will organise mobile sales points.

To meet consumer needs for Tết, the GO!/Big C hypermarket system and the Tops Market supermarket chain of Central Retail has plans to prepare goods for Tết.

Accordingly, GO!/Big C has negotiated with suppliers to have a supply of pork and chicken being 20 per cent and 25 per cent higher than the Tết in 2021 as well as fresh vegetables and fruits during and after Tết.

The GO!/Big C supermarkets nationwide have also launched a series of attractive programmes to stimulate shopping.

Nguyễn Thị Bích Vân, communications director of Central Retail Vietnam, said the demand for essential goods was increasing, not only for fresh products such as vegetables, tubers, fruits, meat, but also the products for Tết like dried food, candies and jams.

“We estimate that consumer demand for fresh products during this Tết holiday will grow more than in the same period last year," Vân said.

To meet the needs for Tết in 2022, GO!/Big C will provide customers with five fruits for Tết depending on the characteristics of each region like Buddha's hand for the North, and grapefruit, pineapple and watermelon for the Centre and the South. GO!/Big C also brings these regional specialities to many other localities, she said.

In addition, the Central Retail Vietnam Group also organises a festival for import goods taking place from January 13 to January 25 with many trade promotion programmes to bring imported goods with the best price to customers.

Meanwhile, the number of customers coming to AEON supermarkets, especially in the southern region, has steadily increased week by week, according to AEON Vietnam.

Furusawa Yasuyuki, general director of AEON Vietnam, said that consumers were still quite cautious in shopping during the pandemic. However, some positive signs of the market, purchasing power was expected to gradually increase, especially in the weeks approaching Tết.

To ensure goods supply during the Lunar New Year in 2022, AEON Vietnam has coordinated with suppliers to prepare goods and ensure stable prices at AEON supermarkets.

Accordingly, the volume of Tết goods has increased about 15 per cent compared to Tết in 2021, focusing on food including beef, pork, poultry, vegetables, fruits, rice, cake, jam, candy, alcohol and beverages.

In addition, AEON Vietnam has promoted many attractive trade promotion programmes for customers during the pandemic, from periodic programmes to discounts up to 50 per cent on products of food, fashion and computers. — VNS