HCM City rethinks ban on small markets
LookAtVietnam – After only one week, HCM City People’s Committee has had to rethink its ban on the sale of meat and vegetables anywhere except in supermarkets
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A temporary market on Pham Ngu Lao street in HCM City’s district 1. A week ago the city planned to ban the sale of food at temporary or unlicensed markets. |
Under the ban, selling meat, fish, shrimp and vegetables was only allowed in supermarkets, permanent markets and stores - and they had to have business registration certificates from the Department of Planning and Investment plus district-level people’s committees.
Three wholesalers
It also means that wholesaling fresh agricultural products could only be done at three wholesale markets - Thu Duc in Thu Duc district, Hoc Mon in Hoc Mon district and Binh Dien in District 8.
This led to the closure of some wholesale markets without certificates and affected retailers, licensed and unlicensed, who bought from them.
District-level people’s committees were responsible for supervising the ban and punishing any violators. However, after only one week of operation, the decision is being ignored in most areas of the city.
Dang Van Khoa, a HCM City councillor, said the ban was aimed at ensuring food safety and hygiene as well as keeping urban roads and street orderly and tidy.
However, the ban was implemented without time for people directly affected by the decision to make alternative preparations.
According to statistics of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, there are about 500 licensed stores and supermarkets meeting regulations.
This compared with the thousands of small markets and stores that had traditionally served more than 6.8 million people who lived in the city, said Khoa.
Buying meat, fish and vegetables from street vendors and temporary markets is an ingrained habit with Vietnamese people.
Nguyen Kim Phuong, a citizen in Hoc Mon District, said supermarkets and licensed shops were too far from her house to reach every day.
“This is particularly annoying when I run out of something while cooking. I prefer to rush to the stores in my lane. It is really convenient.”
Students’ choice
Le Thanh Tue, a student at the University of Foreign Languages, said students had never thought of buying vegetables from a supermarket. “It sounds expensive,” she said.
Under the new scheme, thousands of retailers at licensed markets have to get certificates of business registration and food hygiene from city authorities.
However, they found this impossible given that the decision took effect just 10 days after being approved.
Hoang Van Tam from the management board of Tu Duc market said up to 50 per cent of stores at the market would have to close under the decision because they had no time to prepare for it.
They sell vegetables, fruits, rice or fish and have never been asked to get certificates before.
“I have sold watermelon for years that I buy from the farmers. It is surprising that I am not allowed to do this any longer because I do not have the certificates,” said Le Duong Con from Hai Duong province.
“No information has been given out, no guidance. Moreover, I have no idea how poor retailers like me can get such certificates,” said Con.
Truong Trung Viet, deputy director of HCM City Industry and Trade Department, said the ban was introduced to strictly manage the source and quality of food and agricultural products to protect people’s health.
He said that, in the long term, the city wanted to build a trademark for agricultural products in each market.
However, it was necessary to have an itinerary to implement this decision so that the customers, as well as businessmen, did not face difficulties.
Deputy Chairwoman of HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hong said the city had already drawn up plans for a system of markets, supermarkets and trade centres. Many of these were being implemented.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
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