HCM CITY — HCM City authorities plan to relocate some of the city’s wholesale and retail markets to ease traffic congestion and ensure safety for residents.

Many longstanding, traditional markets still exist in urban areas, including wholesale flower markets Hồ Thị Kỷ in District 10 and Đầm Sen in District 11, and the wholesale dried-fish market in District 6.

Trần Thúy Liên, director of Bình Điền Wholesale Market Management and Trade Company, said that it was unfair to continue to maintain wholesale markets in the inner city when other wholesale markets had relocated to outlying districts.

Liên, speaking at a meeting on Monday, said that she had asked the city government to step up relocation of inner-city wholesale markets to Bình Điền Wholesale Market in District 8.

The management board of Bình Điền also asked the city to strictly handle illegal businesses that encroach upon Nguyễn Văn Linh Boulevard’s pavements and entranceway leading to the wholesale market.

They also suggested removing small businesses that sell cattle meat and fresh and frozen poultry in districts Bình Chánh and 8, and a fruit market on Trang Tử Street in District 5.

The management board of Hóc Môn and Thủ Đức wholesale markets asked the city to speed up clearance of illegal businesses and temporary markets on nearby streets to protect businesses within the markets.

As for relocation of the Hồ Thị Kỷ Flower Market, Nguyễn Huỳnh Trang, deputy director of the city’s Department of Industry and Trade, said the city should consider the difficulty of persuading long-time businesses to move out of the city centre.

Household businesses in the flower market have in-house flower stalls, but also display their products on the pavement, she said.

Trang said the department had urged cooperation between businesses at Hồ Thị Kỷ Flower Market and Bình Điền Wholesale Market, but the effort had not been successful.

Both retail and wholesale trade is conducted during the day, according to a representative of District 10’s People’s Committee.  

Some traders who visited the shops in Bình Điền have decided not to relocate because of the inconvenient location.

Trương Quốc Cường, deputy chairman of District 11’s People’s Committee, said the city should not relocate Đầm Sen Flower Market.

“Đầm Sen Flower Market is located on Nguyễn Văn Phú and Tống Văn Trân streets where few vehicles pass, and the transport of flowers occurs at 1-2am each day, so it doesn’t affect traffic. The district should keep this market."

The head of District 6 said the relocation of the dried-fish market on Lê Tấn Kế Street was not sustainable, even though it had been part of Bình Tây traditional market for many years, attracting hundreds of thousands of people each year.

Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said the city would zone or relocate inner-city retail or wholesale markets that cause traffic congestion.

He said that district authorities should ensure traffic safety in zoned areas and consult their respective Standing Party Committees about whether to relocate or maintain markets in their areas.

New flower centre

This year, the Sài Gòn Trading Group (SATRA) plans to open a flower trading centre at Bình Điền Wholesale Market on an area of ​​14 hectares at a cost of VNĐ700billion (US$31 million).

The centre will have market stalls for rent and provide many convenient services.

Next year, the centre will also co-ordinate with the Đà Lạt flower trading centre in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng to form a new supply chain for flowers.

SATRA has invested in building infrastructure and logistic systems at Bình Điền Wholesale Market and will assist businesses that need to relocate from the inner city with suitable spots.

Trang, deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said that last year the department had provided district authorities with documents on the clearance of temporary markets.

Twenty-one districts in the city have reported their plans and the department is urging the other districts to begin clearance plans soon.

Hồ Thị Kỷ Flower Market, which is the city’s largest wholesale flower market, has more than 100 household stalls.

Đầm Sen Flower Market has 55 businesses and provides about 15 tonnes of fresh flowers per day to many markets. — VNS