VietNamNet Bridge - When vegetable and fruit sales are low, ministries, celebrities and organizations often call for help from the community.

Big C helps farmers sell water melon

In mid-May, Big C Supermarket posted the banner ‘Moi trai dua trieu tam long’ (one piece of watermelon, millions of hearts). — a message to assist farmers in Quang Ngai and Quang Nam provinces to sell watermelon.

The seller put the watermelon in the most eye-catching positions. Within seven days, 250 tons of watermelon were sold in the ‘rescue’ program through Big C. 

One week before, when China squash in Cu Yang commune of Dak Lak province couldn’t sell, Big C Vietnam’s staff met local authorities and bought 60 tons to ease the difficulties of farmers. 

In mid-March, the retail chain also helped buy turnips grown in Me Linh district in the suburbs of Hanoi. The chain takes no profit from the sales. 

Other supermarkets organized a series of ‘rescue’ campaigns. In late March 2018, Saigon Co-op bought turnips and carrots in Me Linh district and Hung Yen province. Through its network, Saigon Co-op helped consume 600 tons of farm produce.

The pork rescue campaign was the largest so far. From mid-2016 to 2017, pork supply exceeded demand, with the price dropping dramatically and pushing many farmers against the wall. 

At that time, supermarkets collected pork from farmers and sold them at low prices, while meat suppliers such as Visan and Sagri collected, slaughtered and froze pork.

To ease farmers’ difficulties, distributors sold products at no profit and subsidized transport, display and advertisement costs.

Right after the tomato rescue program finished, the turnip rescue campaign began. And many meetings discussing the methods to assist farmers were organized.

However, the problem could not be settled. The oversupply still occurred.

Rescue campaigns are a temporary solution. In the long term, farmers need to organize production well and make a profit with their produce.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong admitted that the weak points of Vietnam’s agriculture lie in marketing and processing technology. 

To solve the problems, the ministry has drawn up a roadmap to restructure agriculture, striving for higher value.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported that the agriculture – forestry – fisheries sector grew by 4.05 percent in the first quarter of 2018, a 13-year high. The export turnover also increased sharply by 9.6 percent compared with the same period last year to $8.7 billion.

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