Hanoi enhances agricultural sales networks

The Van Nam Agricultural Cooperative’s farm products at the workshop

Weak linkages

Hanoi has established 11 safe vegetable chains and 21 poultry and meat sales chains. However, the results have been poor. Most production facilities have worked separately causing difficulties in connecting with distributors, while their products are non-competitive and unsustainable.

Phuc Tho District’s Thanh Da Commune People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Manh said Thanh Da has sold 8-10 tonnes of vegetables each day during the high season and that their products have met quality and safety standards as a result of strong monitoring by the local authorities and public supervision. Despite that, most of the commune’s safe vegetables have been sold at wholesale markets or to whole sellers for low returns, rather than at supermarkets and minimarts. “Thanh Da’s safe vegetables had clear origin of production but have lost their name on the market,” said Manh.

According to Nguyen Hung Thinh, the owner of a safe pig farm in Group 5, Tho Loc Commune, Phuc Tho District, biological breeding is much more advantageous, more environmentally-friendly and better in quality than normal farming. However, biological farmers have not been supported through incentive policies. For example, businesses have allowed industrial livestock farmers to pay for animal feed by installment, while biological farmers have had to pay more for feed but have not been allowed to pay by installment.

Towards closer cooperation

At a conference held recently in Hanoi to strengthen relations between safe agricultural producers and traders in the capital, representatives of supermarkets and distribution businesses committed themselves to help farmers sell their products via their outlets. Nhat Nam Joint Stock Company Deputy General Director Vu Thi Hau said that they wanted to partner with agricultural suppliers to sell vegetables, fruits, seafood, poultry and meat at their Fivimart supermarkets. However, she underlined strict requirements for the products, regarding safety and hygiene standards and certification and modern slaughtering and semi-processing facilities.

Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Director Nguyen Huy Dang said that it was necessary to set up complete production chains, follow a safe food production process and not to use prohibited ingredients.

He also said that in the short term Hanoi will strengthen links between producers and distributors to provide more opportunities for consumers to choose safe farm products.

Dang asked the Hanoi Agricultural Trade Promotion Center to devise annual investment promotion plans with an aim to better link producers and distributors.

Nguyen Hanh