It is estimated that the capacity of seafood processing factories in the South has declined by 60-70%, therefore, the Working group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development submitted to the Prime Minister for giving preferential vaccination to 100% of workers so as to maintain the production and export.
According to reports by the Working group no.970 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, seafood enterprises, especially the ones in the South, are coping with serious difficulties due to the overwhelming COVID-19 pandemic. A slump in seafood production and export has been recorded with a 20% decrease being reported since the latter half of July as compared to the first six months of the year. The overall capacity of seafood processing factories in the region is calculated to fall by 60-70%.
Seafood enterprises are trying to maintain production and strictly implement the stay at work model. However, many of them were so worn out in handling huge production costs paying for the pandemic prevention measures that they had to close. Meanwhile, most of the workers of those enterprises have not been vaccinated.
Not only the fishery industry, the poultry industry is also facing challenges when the number of restocks is forecasted to be low, resulting in a possible crisis of poultry shortage on Tet Holiday.
The Working group no.970 estimates that in the last six months of the year, a slump will be recorded in the supply of agricultural products for exports. Sales of vegetables may decrease by 30% in the second half of the year because the agricultural material is in short supply and raw material areas are hardly cared for.
According to the Working group no.970, it is difficult to sell some agricultural products such as dragon fruits, bananas, pineapples, lemons, broilers, pangasius, and shrimp, resulting in low prices and reluctant attitude in reproduction of some farmers, cooperatives and enterprises.
The Working group emphasizes that for the demand stimulation in agricultural production and unbreakable value chain assurance, an overall program should be developed to support from crop, animals, aquatic breed to production for agricultural product supply in the future. The Working group has submitted to the Government for their instructions of giving vaccination to 100% workers in “three on-site” factories related to seafood and agricultural products processing, poultry breeding and cattle and poultry slaughtering and production facilities that associate with those factories upon a direct supply chain agreement.
The Government will decrease electricity prices for enterprises related to production and processing of seafood and agricultural products so that they can afford to purchase agricultural products and preserve them in freezers.
Also, the Working Group no.970 submitted to the Government for implementing the National Program of purchasing and reserving rice so as to stimulate demand and encourage farmers to keep producing in accordance with the plan of rice production, food safety assurance and partly exports.
VFM
