Garlic grown on Ly Son Island off central Vietnam, famous for its taste and rich nutrients, has seen its prices drop by fifty percent compared to previous years, forcing farmers in the ‘garlic kingdom’ to make the rare call for help. Once a sought-after delicacy that sold for VND80,000 (US$3.40) a kilogram, Ly Son garlic has now dropped in price by more than fifty prcent, to VND35,000-40,000 ($1.50-1.70) a kilogram. Over the past week, the local youth union and farmers’ association Ly Son Island have stepped in to promote the purchase of garlic from farmers at a higher price than merchants can offer. Thirty-five metric tons of garlic has so far been sold this way, but it is still an inconsequential number compared to some 250 metric tons of the plant still remaining in farmers’ inventories, according to the Ly Son administration. The garlic is then shipped to the mainland for sale, but less than half of the lot has been bought by consumers. “When … [Read more...] about ‘Garlic kingdom’ in Vietnam struggles to sell its spice
Central vietnam
Seawater turns dark near central Vietnam economic zone
Dark-color water and yellowish foam have been spotted along a beach near a major economic zone in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai, with local authorities now scrambling to identify the cause. By Wednesday afternoon, the sea along a two-kilometer section of Khe Hai Beach in Binh Thanh Commune, Binh Son District had turned unusually dark, with yellowish foam washing up with the waves. Despite the strange color, no odd odors were detected. The beach is located near a port cluster as part of the Dung Quoc Economic Zone, which houses several factories owned by companies involved in heavy industry, namely Hoa Phat Steel JSC, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Company, and Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin). Yellow foam washes up with the waves. Photo: Tran Mai / Tuoi Tre Local residents have reported that situation has been ongoing for over a week and many say they believe it began with an oil spill. “I hope authorities deal with this issue quickly … [Read more...] about Seawater turns dark near central Vietnam economic zone
Big cities in Vietnam burn waste to generate electricity
Hanoi, HCMC and other big cities are using waste-to-electricity (WTE) technology to treat domestic waste and produce much-needed power.v The groundbreaking ceremony for the first hi-tech WTE plant of Bac Ninh and the second in the country took place in late May. The VND1.4 trillion plant, expected to become operational after 15 months of construction, will treat 500 tons of waste a day and generate 11.7 MWh of electricity. With advanced technology that meets European standards from leading Finnish suppliers, the project is hoped by Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee to solve waste treatment problems in the province. With advanced technology that meets European standards from leading Finnish suppliers, the project is hoped by Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee to solve waste treatment problems in the province. According to Hoang Van Thuc, deputy general director of the General Directorate of Environment, burning waste to generate electricity is the most optimal … [Read more...] about Big cities in Vietnam burn waste to generate electricity
Vietnam needs more active prevention of natural disasters instead of passive response
Tran Quang Hoai, general director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control and deputy head of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control talks to Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) newspaper about the importance of active prevention in dealing with increasingly extreme weather. Tran Quang Hoai. Many natural disasters that occurred nationwide this year have been blamed on climate change. What is your opinion about the issue? I totally agree. Climate change has led to rising sea levels, the frequency and severity of natural disasters, the decline of river water resources, prolonged heat waves that caused severe droughts in the south central region and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta. In addition, climate change has led to heavy rainfall in a short time, causing floods and landslides in HCM City, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa and Kien Giang. As forecast, … [Read more...] about Vietnam needs more active prevention of natural disasters instead of passive response
Vietnam GDP to grow by 6.6% in 2018: ICAEW
The forecast was made by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), who organised a seminar on economic insight for Southeast Asia in Hanoi on June 6. Growth in the region is forecast to come in at 4.9 per cent from 5.3 per cent last year, as a result of moderate export growth across the region from the sharp acceleration last year. Unlike the US and Europe, Asia had a promising start this year, with Southeast Asia economies expanding 5.2 per cent year-on-year, slightly softer than the 5.3 per cent in the previous quarter. In Việt Nam, economic growth eased back in the first quarter, to 7.4 per cent year-on-year, following a stellar end to last year. However, the quarterly result was still the strongest Q1 outcome in a decade driven by ongoing strength in the manufacturing sector, solid service sector activity and improving agriculture output. Mark Billington, ICAEW regional director for Southeast Asian, said: “Although for Việt Nam external … [Read more...] about Vietnam GDP to grow by 6.6% in 2018: ICAEW