HCMC supermarket chains extend operation time by three to four hours a day

All the supermarket chains in HCMC have extended their operation time by three to four hours a day, from 6a.m. to 10 p.m. or 11p.m. to meet the increasing shopping demand of customers since July 9.
Of them, Bach Hoa Xanh convenient stores have guaranteed to serve its last customers.
Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong yesterday said that the demand of getting goods from traders to distribute to their partners has recently been enormous amid temporary suspension of three large agricultural products wholesale markets in the city. 

Although Hoc Mon wholesale market has ceased its operation, traders still provide vegetables for their business partners along Nguyen Thi Soc Street, National Highway No.22 from a three-way junction of the wholesale market to An Suong Bus Station and via versa.  
Similarly, traders have maintained direct delivery of vegetables and aquaculture products near the Thu Duc and Binh Dien wholesale markets.

Amid the current situation, the department has worked with Thu Duc City and districts to allow business owners to maintain the trading but strictly follow the pandemic prevention and control measures.

On the other hand, relevant agencies are considering appropriate places for trading goods with a large scale to ensure consecutive commodity supply chains. It is expected that the city will decide goods transit places, instead of goods delivery points on July 9.

A day before applying the social distancing order under the Prime Minister's Directive 16, around 900 tons of goods were transported to the warehouses near three wholesale markets. 

It is estimated that around 1,200 tons of goods and commodities were consumed via phone, Zalo and direct delivery without placing at gathering points.

According to statistics by HCMC Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Division, there are around 4,000 pigs per night to be consumed, equaling to 300 tons of pork, of which Xuan Thoi Thuong slaughterhouse in Hoc Mon District provides to the market around 1,916 pigs per night, equaling to 143.7 tons of pork.

 Shoppers at a supermarket in HCMC (Photo: Huyen Huong)
According to the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper’s reporters, a huge number of shoppers yesterday flocked to supermarkets, causing interruption on vegetables, pork, poultry supply at some certain times.

In the current high demand for goods, the supermarkets remain their operation during the 15-day social distancing in the city following the Prime Minister's Directive 16 and guarantee to fully supply essential goods so residents do not need to store goods and stuffs affecting goods supply on supermarkets’ shelves.

 Supermarkets remain operation during the 15-day social distancing so customers do not need to store goods and stuffs affecting goods supply on supermarkets’ shelves Photo: SGGP/Huyen Huong)
Up to 3p.m. on July 8, the shopping demand at supermarkets and convenient stores increased from 30 percent to 50 percent and doubled compared with ordinary days, consumers concentrated on buying vegetables, pork, fishes and fruits.
The Official Letter No.5389 of the Ministry of Health, requiring provinces and cities to apply seven-day home quantine and self-monitor of health in the next seven days to all returnees from Ho Chi Minh City, has causes difficulties to some businesses whose warehouses are located in neighboring provinces. Hence, the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade suggested the ministry guide provinces and cities to arrange Covid-19 testing places for drivers in their localities to clear congestion at Covid-19 checkpoints in HCMC. The Covid-19 test result will be valid within three days.

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