VietNamNet Bridge – Over 10 tons of Australian dirty beef imports have
penetrated the domestic market. Chinese grapes have been selling as Ninh Thuan
brand grapes. Consumers have been told to become smarter, or they would buy
dirty food.
Doors kept open for dirty beef imports
In principle, food imports must go through verification before entering the
domestic market. However, over 10 tons of dirty imports still could go through
competent agencies.
Veterinary Agency Region II, which confirmed that the beef imports by the Hanoi
High Grade Food Company could not meet the requirements to be able to enter the
Vietnamese market after the second verification, has requested the importer to
re-export the imports.
However, the third testing has provided a surprising result. Only two kinds of
products, 5,566 kilos in total could not meet the standards to be used as the
food for human, which was asked for re-export.
Finally, the veterinary agency has decided to please the importer by allowing
the company to use the substandard food as the feed for animals. As such, the
company doesn’t have to re-export any kilos of the dirty meat it imported.
Chinese grapes sold as Ninh Thuan’s grapes
The grapes with green peels have been sold everywhere in Hanoi, at supermarkets,
traditional markets or pavement shops, which have been introduced as Ninh
Thuan’s grapes. However, in fact, the grapes are sourced from China.
Vietnamese prefer Vietnamese Ninh Thuan brand grapes, even though Chinese grapes
have better appearance and don’t have pips, because they fear Chinese products
are unsafe for human. This explains why Chinese grapes have been sold as Ninh
Thuan grapes.
Nguyen Van Moi, Deputy Chair of the Ninh Thuan Grapes Association, has affirmed
that Ninh Thuan grapes have been in short supply, and that the grapes being sold
in Hanoi must be the imports from China.
Moi said the association has heard about the sale of Chinese grapes as Ninh
Thuan grapes, but they have not found out the solutions to the problem.
Gas distributors apply new marketing method
Since the competition in the market is getting stiffer, gas distributors have to
try every possible method to do the marketing to attract more buyers.
Some gas agents have the “professional marketing staff” who are ready to rush
into people’s houses to stick the labels with their shops’ addresses on the wall
or at the kitchen. As such, consumers would have to use the gas they provide,
because the addresses of loyal shops have been erased by the professional
marketing workers.
Taxi fees, goods prices on the rise
The decision on raising the petrol retail price to VND24,580 per liter has
raised worry about a new wave of goods price increases.
The Hanoi Taxi Association has gathered its members to discuss the taxi fee
increases. They have agreed on the VND600-1,000 per kilometer increase.
The threat from China
Pepper plant growers in Chu Se district in Gia Lai province have been whispering
in each others’ ears that Chinese have been collecting pepper plant roots at
high prices.
It’s unclear why Chinese businessmen have been hunting for pepper roots.
However, it’s obvious that farmers have been cutting down the plants, thus
affecting the pepper industry. Meanwhile, pepper is one of the important export
items of Vietnam.
Chinese have been seeking to purchase many things in Vietnam, from tree roots to
buffalo nails, and no one knows what they buy these things for.
Nhi Anh