HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội will not have to face a shortage of pork during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, an official of the capital city’s Industry and Trade Department has said.
A nationwide shortage has held for about 10 months due to the impact of African swine fever.
Trần Thị Phương Lan, the department’s deputy director, said Hanoians’ demand for pork will be met because suppliers from neighbouring provinces and cities have committed to providing the city with an estimated volume of 43,000 tonnes of pork during the holiday.
The capital city’s demand for pork is predicted at about 22,300 tonnes during the holiday.
The price of pork at traditional markets including Hôm Đức Viên, Phan Huy Chú, Nguyễn Công Trứ, Thành Công and Mùng 8-3 markets ranges from VNĐ130,000-VNĐ180,000 (US$5.6-7.74) per kilo, about VNĐ40-50,000 higher during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, in many supermarkets, the price of pork has been cooling down. At Co.op mart supermarket chain in Hà Nội, the pork price of CP Joint Stock Company decreased by VNĐ5,000-10,000 per kilo compared with a week ago.
CP lean and fat pork and lean pork products are priced at VNĐ171,000 -172,000 per kilo, down by VNĐ6,000, while ribs are VNĐ198,000, down VNĐ7,000.
According to pork sellers, although the price of pork has decreased slightly, consumption has not increased.
Nguyễn Thị Na, a worker at Cầu Diễn industrial park, who shops at Cầu Diễn market in Nam Từ Liêm District, said the price of pork ranges from VNĐ130,000-150,000 per kilo at this market, which is so high that she only buys once or twice per week.
As for pork imports, Lan said the Government has directed businesses nationwide, including those from Hà Nội, to import about 100,000 tonnes of pork in the first quarter of this year
She said the city is willing to work with importers if it lacks domestic supply.
A report of Hà Nội Customs Department shows the capital city imported nearly 100,000 kilos of pork in December last year.
“We have not yet considered the possibility of importing pork because the domestic supply will meet the city’s demand during the holiday,” Lan said.
The city’s businesses have reserved goods, including pork, to stabilise the market, avoiding importing products before Tết at expensive prices. Notably, businesses who take part in the city’s market stabilisation programme have committed to keeping pork prices 5 per cent lower than the market price. — VNS
