Fresh food is offered for sale at a Co.opmart supermarket. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has requested the establishment of a steering committee to ensure an adequate supply of essential goods for HCMC and the southern localities amid the coronavirus concern – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien convened an urgent meeting on July 7 for the establishment of a steering committee to ensure an adequate supply of essential goods for HCMC and the southern localities, amid the complicated development of Covid-19 in the south.

Accordingly, Do Thang Hai, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, was assigned as the head of the committee, reported the local media.

The committee is in charge of coordinating with other ministries, agencies and the local authorities to ensure the hassle-free distribution of essential goods and services to HCMC and the southern localities hit by the pandemic and take measures to help these localities promote online transactions.

It also has to work with the relevant agencies to ramp up efforts to monitor the market and adopt solutions to fight against the hoarding of goods and overcharging.

The committee was asked to direct the Electricity Regulatory Authority and the Vietnam Electricity Group to regulate electricity to ensure supply for medical facilities and quarantine centers in virus-hit HCMC and the southern localities.

Following the minister’s order, Deputy Minister Do Thang Hai chaired the first meeting of the committee to discuss the implementation of the tasks.

Speaking at the meeting, Tran Duy Dong, head of the Domestic Market Department under the ministry, said that a host of HCMC residents flocked to wet markets and supermarkets to stock up on goods yesterday following news that the city will begin a 15-day citywide social distancing starting from July 9.

The Domestic Market Department then worked with and requested the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade to advise local residents to refrain from hoarding goods as a sufficient supply of essential goods for the city has been ensured.