Prompt measures needed to prevent disruption to rice supply chains

ABO/NDO - The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held a conference on August 7 to discuss measures aimed at removing certain obstacles facing the rice industry due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Reports suggest that rice purchases in the Mekong Delta have dropped by 20-30% during the summer-autumn crop as rice traders are facing movement restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

At the same time, rice enterprises are unable to maintain their workforce for purchasing and processing rice due to the inability to afford the living conditions needed for their workers at the factories.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan speaking at the conference.

Rice drying and grinding facilities have also been forced to close as negative coronavirus tests are required.
Speaking at the conference, MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan stated that it is the inconsistency in the rice industry has made a difficult situation worse and the parties concerned need to sit down together to discuss solutions.

He noted that the rice industry in the Mekong Delta is not subject to administrative division as rice traders usually move between provinces and cities to purchase the grain, so any hiccup cany result in large backlogs.

Minister Hoan said all provinces pledge to facilitate the circulation of goods but such a policy is not being implemented by authorities at lower levels.

As such he suggested provincial governments need to keep abreast of the actual situation in order to promptly address the difficulties facing enterprises and farmers.

(Source: NDO)