The goods supply for the 2013 Lunar New Year holiday has been well prepared by enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Commitments have been made to meet shopping demand of people during this occasion. Despite forecasts that purchasing power will not soar as much as usual, the volume of goods is still estimated to go up by 20 percent in all types of products compared to last year.
Mr Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Deputy General Director of Saigon Co.op, said that Co-op Mart started preparing for the goods consumed during Lunar New Year (Tet) since early June. Co.op Mart is now receiving enthusiastic support from some 700 suppliers in order to assist promotion and price stabilisation programmes. Co.op Mart is committed to keeping prices stabilised and not letting goods shortage result in soaring prices. With a view to meeting the demand of consumers in the year-end peak season and Tet 2013, Co.op Mart has prepared a volume of goods worth VND3,350 billion, of which goods for price stabilisation account for VND912 billion. In the time to come, Co.op Mart will extend trading hours, increase the number of counters in its supermarket system and encourage customers to make orders via telephone or other means.
LOTTE Mart doubles or even triples its volume of goods compared to normal months, mainly focusing on dry foodstuff. Supermarket systems like Big C and CitiMart have also completed preparation for goods consumed in Tet holiday. A Big C representative says that the volume of goods pumped into the market this Tet will be increased by 15 percent against last year, to meet consumer demand. To avoid fluctuations in the price of goods, Big C made orders to suppliers right from the mid-year months, so that they can be active in their production plans. By the end of November, Big C will have completed its preparation for goods to be consumed during Tet.
Confectionery manufacturing companies are also busy preparing for the year-end season. Bien Hoa Confectionery Corporation (Bibica) plans to introduce its products designed for Tet by early December. Output this year is estimated to be 1,200 tonnes, 15 percent higher than last Tet. According to Bibica General Director Phan Van Thien, in addition to the traditional products, this year Bibica will concentrate on the high-grade product line with prices 20 percent lower than imported products of the same line. Demand on this Tet is forecast to go up by just 5-10 percent.
Mr Van Duc Muoi, General Director of Vissan Company, says that right from the end of May 2012, Vissan started to buy materials of good quality from industrial farms and large-scale farming households to make good reservation for its production and business during the Tet holiday. The volume of goods provided by Vissan is worth VND1,010 billion, up 10-15 percent against the previous Tet. Ms Pham Thi Huan, Director of Ba Huan Company which specialises in the provision of eggs, shares that the company has basically completed its supply plan for the Lunar New Year holiday. This year, the company is spending some VND165 billion on preparation of goods for Tet and commits to stabilising prices. Similarly, the quantity of goods for Tet of Vietnam Joint Stock Company will be 10-20 percent higher than last year.
According to HCMC Department of Industry and Trade, its plan for goods supply during Lunar New Year 2013 has been completed. Almost all enterprises are well-prepared for this Tet, so adequate goods will be available. The total capital spent on goods for Tet by enterprises reaches VND6,681.8 billion (up by 20 percent). Enterprises participating in the price stabilisation programme are continuing efforts to prepare necessities, which can take up to 50 percent of market demand. Between now and the end of 2012, the City will continue to accelerate the development of point of sales at industrial parks and processing zones, as well as remote areas with a view to bringing price stabilised goods to consumers.
Ms Le Ngoc Dao, Deputy Director of HCMC Department of Industry and Trade, states that this year’s purchasing power will not soar at the year-end due to fluctuations in the economy. However, to guarantee stabilisation of goods supply, the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade still makes thorough preparations with the supply plan. The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade will also deal with associations and enterprises to control prices at the lowest possible increase.
Hong Hanh
Vietnamese
