Phan Rang Market in Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm City is one of Ninh Thuận Province’s food-safety markets. – VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

NINH THUẬN – Ninh Thuận Province is mobilising resources to develop the model of food-safety markets as it is considered an effective solution to improve market management, ensure food safety and protect consumers’ rights.

The south-central province has implemented the model since 2017 and has built seven food-safety markets.

They are Thuận Bắc District Centre Market, Cà Ná in Thuận Nam District, Tân Sơn and Nhơn Sơn in Ninh Sơn District, Phan Rang in Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm City, An Hải in Ninh Phước District and Thanh Hải in Ninh Hải District.

Thanh Hải, for instance, is a third-class market, has an area of 4,000 sq.m and was built at a cost of VNĐ11.6 billion (US$450,000) by the Phú Thịnh Real Estate Investment Company Limited.

It was put into operation in 2018 and meets the national criteria for food markets.

It has 134 booths that sell meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and food in separated areas. The origin of its foods is traceable.

Nguyễn Thị Lượm, a regular consumer at Thanh Hải Market, said she and her daughter-in-law often buy food there because it is fresh and delicious.

“Vegetables and fruits are diverse, poultry and pork are quarantined by competent agencies, ensuring food safety. Small traders are very enthusiastic and sell food at reasonable prices,” she said.

According to the province's Department of Industry and Trade, there is one trade centre, five supermarkets, and 103 wet markets in urban and rural areas.

Trần Quốc Sanh, its deputy director, said wet markets are still the main distribution channel that supplies meat, fish, vegetables and fruits for people.

The province’s relevant departments and agencies have taken several measures to ensure food safety and hygiene at markets, he said.

However, many markets have been degraded and do not meet the national criteria for food markets, so the development of food-safety markets is necessary and urgent, he said.

Currently, the province’s budget for building food-safety markets is limited, and mobilising private investment to build a market is difficult because it requires large amounts of capital and takes a long time to recover investment costs.

The province’s budget for building food-safety markets is only enough to build one such market per year.

This year, the province selected Công Thành Market in Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm City’s Thành Hải Commune to develop into a food-safety market.

The province has petitioned the central Government to grant financial support from national target programmes for it to build markets which meet the national criteria for food markets. – VNS