Government ensures dual targets of pandemic prevention, economic development

Answering a reporter's query on stepping up the consumption of agricultural products of pandemic-hit localities, Hai said that over the past time, the Government has instructed ministries, sectors and localities to carry out measures to ensure the implementation of the twin targets.

When the pandemic showed signs of worsening in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh provinces, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued Directive No.05 on January 28 on urgent COVID-19 prevention and control measures, in which the Government leader assigned Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People's Committees to decide social distancing measures to be used based on the level of risk of each area.

However, as several localities put overemphasis on pandemic prevention and control, they imposed several measures which caused difficulties to the circulation of goods, particularly farm produce, in pandemic-hit areas, particularly Hai Duong Province.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has put forward solutions to address those difficulties, such as working directly with major domestic supply systems and major firms in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to help with the sale of farm produce.

It has also worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities to seek measures to ease consumers' concerns about agricultural products from disease-affected areas.

At the proposal of the MoIT, the PM assigned tasks to each ministry and locality to quickly address difficulties in goods circulation and transportation, Hai said, adding that the ministry held a working session with related localities, ministries and agencies on ways to implement the PM’s directions. The ministry then issued a document guiding the consumption of goods produced in pandemic-affected areas, which received consensus from all stakeholders.