HCM City has been focusing on trade facilitation and networking events to help businesses overcome problems caused by COVID-19 and recent global complications. — Photo nld.com.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City businesses are seeking assistance from authorities to revive production and overcome problems such as lack of workers and high raw material costs.

Đào Quốc Cường, permanent director of sewing machine manufacturer Juki Co Ltd has asked for help in finding workers.

The number of workers who quit after Tết in 2021 and 2022 was double that in the period before COVID-19 began, he said.

The company is struggling to replace them even as it keeps getting numerous orders.

Hồ Uyên, public relations director of Intel Việt Nam and Malaysia, said the National Assembly Standing Committee had issued a resolution to increase workers’ monthly overtime cap from 40 hours to 60 hours to help businesses struggling to sustain production post-COVID.

However, this would be valid only until the end of 2022, and foreign businesses were asking the city to apply it after 2022 too, she said.

Phạm Phú Trường, chairman of the HCM City Young Entrepreneurs Association, said in addition to issuing support policies and packages, the city should also make sure it reaches businesses quickly. 

The city should also provide financial aid for businesses seeking to make the digital transformation to encourage them to do it, he said.

Lý Kim Chi, chairwoman of the HCM City Food and Foodstuff Association, said the city should help businesses expand their supplier and customer bases by organising events to bring them together in other provinces.

The city should also focus on investing in transport works to improve connectivity, she said.

“HCM City can carry out trade facilitation programmes with foreign countries. COVID-19 has increased food import demand in many countries.”

Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngọc, deputy director of the city Department of Trade, said there were policies in place to restore supply chains, stimulate demand and facilitate trade.

At the start of the year HCM City launched a programme to facilitate socio-economic recovery and development for 2022-25, she said.

Nguyễn Văn Lâm, deputy director of the Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said the department’s 127 job centres were focusing on introducing skilled workers to businesses.

Since the start of the year it had consulted and helped over 16,000 people find jobs, he said.

Nguyễn Đức Lệnh, deputy director of the State Bank of Việt Nam’s HCM City branch, said for 2022 there was a VNĐ424 trillion (US$18.39 billion) credit support package for businesses, and VNĐ40 trillion was disbursed in the first four months.

Businesses in HCM City are grappling with COVID-related problems and also the recent challenges brought by the Russian-Ukraine conflict and China’s tough COVID-19 policies. — VNS