Industry and Trade Steadily Recovering

In the context of the whole country in general and Kon Tum province in particular gradually adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kon Tum Industry and Trade has actively accompanied the business community to remove difficulties and restore production and business, making an important contribution to local socio-economic recovery and development.

Delegates visit an OCOP booth at Kon Tum Industry and Trade Fair 2022

Accordingly, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade has closely followed the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Provincial People's Committee in coordinating with the branches and localities to closely monitor the production and circulation of goods and agricultural products; promptly notifying enterprises to proactively and flexibly organize production to suit the needs of the market. The Department of Industry and Trade has quickly and promptly informed enterprises of documents, preferential policies, support for consumption and export of agricultural products, import and export situation, and transportation of goods through border gates, especially border gates with China.

In addition, the Department has participated in conferences, seminars and training related to trade promotion and product promotion to connect, expand consumption markets and promote exploitation and development of the domestic market. The Department has also supported businesses to participate in sales on e-commerce platforms; building sales websites for businesses and supporting brand building.

In addition, the Department also advised the Provincial People's Committee to decide to promulgate regulations on industrial cluster management in Kon Tum province; decided to establish a handicraft industrial cluster in Ngo May ward and Dak Cam commune, Kon Tum city. The Department has coordinated with the Economic Zone Management Board to develop the implementation plan of the project "Development of economic zones, industrial zones and industrial zones in the province in the period of 2021-2025, up to 2030". It also coordinated with Kon Tum Electricity Company to renovate, upgrade and complete the power grid system to ensure safe, continuous and reliable power supply for urban areas and industrial zones serving production and business.

Thanks to that, over the past time, Kon Tum’s activities in industry and trade have recovered and have grown strongly. The added value of the whole industry-construction increased to VND9,361 billion (current price), reaching 106.17% of the plan and equaling 123.7% over the same period in 2021. The consumption tended to increase again. Many programs to connect supply-demand and trade were organized to promote growth. Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in the province reached nearly VND31,000 billion, up 19.11% over the same period in 2021.

Import and export activities also recorded many positive signals. Major export items such as raw rubber, tapioca starch, green coffee and instant coffee, elastic bands, wooden tables and chairs are exported to markets such as China, Hong Kong (China), Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, India, Colombia, Taiwan (China), and the United States. Export turnover in 2022 was estimated at US$320.8 million, up 10% over the same period (US$290.5 million) and up 19% compared to the target of 2022 (US$270 million).

In the coming time, the Industry and Trade of the province will continue to promote the implementation of synchronous restructuring towards improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness; to step up administrative reform, improve the business investment environment, improve competitiveness, and support the development of all economic sectors. Besides, it will expand cooperation, linkage for development within the region, inter-region domestically and internationally; increase investment in industrial development; develop trade infrastructure, step up trade promotion activities, stabilize the market; and develop local renewable energy systems.

At the same time, the Department will grasp the market situation, monitor transportation, business, import and export activities; strictly handle the production and trading of counterfeit goods and poor-quality goods which affects people's lives and social order and safety in the province..

By Thanh Loan, Vietnam Business Forum