A market in HCM City. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and local authorities will proactively ensure adequate supplies of food and essential goods for Tết festival. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — With the Lunar New Year approaching, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Đức Thắng on January 29 called for stronger measures to ensure food safety, stabilise prices, prevent disasters and disease outbreaks, and protect the environment during the Tết holiday.

Under Directive 972/CT-BNNMT, the minister requested agencies under the ministry and local authorities to proactively ensure adequate supplies of food and essential goods while closely monitoring market supply and demand developments.

They must coordinate closely with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and local governments to prevent shortages or abnormal price hikes before, during and after the Lunar New Year.

Food safety inspection and supervision at wholesale markets and at food production, processing and trading facilities are to be intensified, with violations handled strictly to safeguard consumer health and rights.

At the same time, disease control for crops and livestock must be implemented rigorously. Relevant agencies are required to proactively prepare sufficient crop varieties and agricultural inputs, strengthen quarantine measures and tighten slaughter control to ensure disease safety and food safety during the Tết festival.

As for environmental protection, Thắng stressed the need to maintain continuous and effective operation of waste treatment systems and facilities, strictly preventing waste accumulation in residential areas and trade centres during the holiday period.

Immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, agencies and localities must swiftly resume agricultural and environmental production and business activities, striving to fulfil assigned tasks from the very first months of the year.

Under the directive, local departments of agriculture and environment are required to review and inspect preparations of agricultural inputs, crop varieties and livestock, implement disease prevention measures in a synchronised manner, strengthen forest fire prevention, and enhance management of agricultural input quality and food safety. — VNS