Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung instructed local authorities to soon clear the hurdles for the smooth distribution and sale of farm produce affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

People in Danang are buying farm produce from Hai Duong province. Photo: Quang Hai.

Over the past few days, the fact that Hai Duong province became a pandemic hotspot has caused difficulties for traders to ship agricultural products out of the province, due to strict anti-Covid-19 measures imposed by neighboring localities.

Under this context, Deputy PM Dung requested related government agencies and provinces/cities, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transportation, and Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, to create favorable conditions for the movement of goods for timely exports and distribution.

“This is particularly important for input materials for production and agricultural products in Covid-19-hit-areas,” said Dung, adding it is important to avoid stagnation during the transportation process and  disruption to economic activities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is tasked with promoting and expanding consumption markets for Vietnamese goods and products  both at home and abroad.

A report from Hai Duong Department of Industry and Trade revealed over 90,000 tons of agricultural products are facing sales stagnation.

“If not properly resolved, the issue could impact the supply chains and cause disruption to economic activities of multiple provinces/cities,” said Pham Thanh Hai, director of Hai Duong Department of Industry and Trade.

According to the MoIT, the main reason is that drivers from high risk areas are required to have Covid-19 negative testing result certificate, but health facilities currently only carry out such tests for people under quarantine, and not open for on-demand.

“Certain provinces do not accept testing results from private health facilities,” stated the MoIT, referring to the fact that the Hai Duong Center for Disease Control (CDC) was designated by Hai Phong’s authorities as the only qualified center for Covid-19 testing.

The MoIT also raised concern from the lack of a uniform safety procedure during the production and distribution of agricultural products from Covid-19 zones to other localities, leading to  conflicting measures from cities and provinces.