Creating basis to promote development of domestic market

In the first quarter of this year, ministries, sectorsand localities have actively implemented many solutions to remove difficulties for production and business activities, especially for the circulation and consumption of agricultural products in pandemic-hit regions.

Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in March increased by 9.2% over the same period last year, showing the recovery of consumers’ demand. (Illustrative image)
Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in March increased by 9.2% over the same period last year, showing the recovery of consumers’ demand. (Illustrative image)

These included programmes to build scenarios and plans to promote the consumption of agricultural and aquatic products in localities facing difficulties in the export and domestic consumption of their products.

Under the programme, the reserve capacity of frozen and cold storage warehouses was also reviewed towards the preparation of storage plans when necessary. In addition, related State management units have actively connected a series of distribution enterprises with localities to promote the consumption of large-yield and harvested agricultural products facing market difficulties.

For example, right after Hai Duong Province implemented social distancing from 0:00 on February 16, the Ministry of Industry and Trade directly worked with major distribution systems such as Central Group (BigCand Go! supermarket chain), Vincommerce (Vinmart and Vinmart + chain), BRG Retail (BRG Mart supermarket chain), MM Mega Market chain and others to purchase agricultural products from farmers, cooperatives andenterprises in the province.

As a result, although the COVID-19 pandemic, with its new variants, has developed complicatedly and spreadrapidly on a large scale in many localities, the domestic market was still guaranteed and has gradually recovered.

Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in March increased by 9.2% over the same period last year, showing the recovery of consumers’ demand. In the first quarter of this year, total retail sales of consumer goods and services also rose by 5.1% over the same period in 2020.

The Prime Minister issued Decision No. 386/QĐ-TTg on March 17 to approve the Project on Developing Domestic Market associated with the “Vietnamese people prioritise using Vietnamese goods” campaign in the 2021-2025period.

The project outlined four main groups of tasks to be performed, including boosting information and communication; developing a sustainable distribution system with priority given to Vietnamese goods; improving competitiveness for Vietnamese products and Vietnamese enterprises; and strengthening the inspectionof the market and protection of consumers.

This provides an important basis for State management agencies to continue the implementation of activities to promote domestic market development through various programmes such as “Proud of Vietnamese goods” and “The quintessence of Vietnamese goods”, contributing to promoting production, trading and consumption of Vietnamese goods

At the same time, such programmes will be combined with annual action programmes of ministries, sectors andlocalities to create a spillover effect nationwide.