VietNamNet Bridge – The price-stabilising programme, which aims to control inflation and stabilize the macro-economy, has not yet proved its effectiveness since low-income earners and poor people still find it difficult to access.

Although the programme has been carried out for a long time in Hanoi, many people say they have not seen any benefit from it.

There are various reasons for this problems. First of all, Vietnamese people do not usually keep track of such programmes advertised in the mass media. In addition, most of price-stabilising products have only been sold in supermarkets and big shops where poor people rarely go.

Nguyen Thu Ha from Cau Giay District says she has never heard of the programme because she usually shops in traditional open-air markets.

I hope that price-stabilising products will be sold in both supermarkets and small markets, she says.

In 2010, the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee advanced VND400 billion for implementing the programme, which focused on nine essential baskets of goods and 14 businesses involved were provided with zero-percent-interest loans. However, this led to unfair competition between businesses that benefited from the programme and those who were not involved.

The programme is aimed at stabilizing prices to avoid the negative effects of inflation on people’s daily lives rather than stimulating consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to help poor people, especially those in rural areas and export processing zones, gain access to price-stabilising products by extending the scope of the programme.

Economist Pham Chi Lan says it is possible that many people will buy price-stabilising products in participating venues and resell them in other markets to earn a profit.

It is, therefore, essential to sell the products directly to low-income consumers, Lan said.

Nguyen Van Dong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, says the city is preparing for the 2011 programme which will kick off in April.

Unlike 2010, the 2011 programme will be in effect throughout the year in both urban an rural areas, Dong said, adding that the Department has asked the People’s Committee to increase the total investment capital as prices are going up.

In order to make the programme more effective and benefit poor people, especially in rural areas, it is crucial to involve more businesses.

VietNamNet/VOV