HCM CITY — The industry and trade sector in HCM City is targeting a growth rate of 8-8.5 per cent in the industrial production index (IPI) and 10 per cent growth in the total retail sales of goods and services for 2018, according to the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade. 

The sector will also strive to obtain 10 per cent growth in total export revenue via the city’s ports in 2018.

Speaking at a meeting to review the department’s performance and set tasks for next year, Nguyễn Tiến Dũng, head of the department’s finance bureau, said the industry and trade fields had outstanding growth rates this year with a 7.9 per cent increase of growth rate in the IIP, 11.32 per cent growth in the total retail sales of goods and services and 10.8 per cent growth in export turnover.

The industry and trade fields gained added value of over VNĐ355.6 trillion ($15.6 billion), accounting for 33.5 per cent of the city’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), he said.

Industrial production developed in a stable manner both in the short and long-term, he said, adding that modern trade infrastructure, with an increase of 18 supermarkets, three commerce centres and 218 convenience stores, together with online retail, contributed to boosting total retail sales in the city.

The department has implemented measures to help untie difficulties faced by businesses in the city and organised programmes to help businesses expand their market share in domestic and export markets.

For 2018, the department would work to create more favourable conditions to hasten the development of the retail sector and e-commerce, intensify activities to support businesses to develop production and trading, and promote exports, Hải said.  

Nguyễn Phương Đông, the department’s deputy director, said the department had successfully implemented the first phase of the programme to trace the origin of pork this year, with origin of over 95 per cent of pork available in the market put under control.

To enhance quality control of pork, the department would implement the second phase of the programme starting from early next year by tracing the origin of the pork from the pig breeding period (with information related to feed, vaccines and medicines, veterinary staff and others), to the final retail points, he said.

Online public services

Also yesterday, the department announced that it had officially put into operation 55 online public services at level 4 in 11 groups of fields. This is expected to help businesses and residents greatly reduce the amount of time needed to complete these administrative procedures.

Level 4 online public services will allow users to make online payments for the fee, if any.

Phạm Thành Kiên, the department’s director, said the 55 online public services were among 107 administrative procedures that the department had managed. These 55 online public services also received the highest number of transactions from businesses and residents.

All public services at the department would be conducted online by the second quarter of next year, he said.

The 55 online public services include services such as registering to implement promotion programmes or trade fairs, establishing representative offices of foreign traders in Việt Nam, and granting permits for eligible production and trading in some sectors and others. 

According to the department’s figures, about 60,000 people come to the department to conduct administrative procedure each year.

Online public services will help businesses and residents reduce the time and costs needed to complete procedures, and will also trace their application process online. — VNS