Rice exporter countries

Vietnam is anticipated to become the world’s third largest rice exporter next year with an estimated export volume reaching 6.3 million tonnes, according to the projection made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Workers process octopuses for export at a factory in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has recorded continual growth in squid and octopus exports to China over the last three years, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Shipments of these commodities to China last year rose by nearly 61 percent from 2019 and by 21 percent year on year in the first four months of 2021 to more than 9.7 million USD.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic partly contained in China, this country has gradually eased restrictions, helping to recover demand for mollusc imports, VASEP said, noting that squid and octopus products remain one of Vietnam’s key aquatic exports to the neighbouring market.

Vietnam shipped almost 3.3 billion USD worth of aquatic products abroad in the first five months of 2021, up 14 percent year on year.

Up to 60 percent, or nearly 2 billion USD, of the revenue was contributed by the 13 Mekong Delta localities while six others in the southeastern region made up 18 percent, 602 million USD, VASEP reported.

Between January and May, overall agricultural exports to China posted impressive growth with shipments of some produce even matching or surpassing the corresponding figures for the entire 2020, according to the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In particular, Vietnam shipped over 468,000 tonnes of mango to this market, equivalent to 112 percent of last year’s figure; 348,000 tonnes of banana, 87 percent; 301,000 tonnes of jackfruit, 92 percent; and 1.1 million tonnes of dragon fruit, 63 percent.

Hoang Trung, Director of the Plant Protection Department, said China has long been the main importer of farm produce from Vietnam, and it will remain the largest buyer of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products in the time to come./.

A free rice dispensing machine for poor people and those out of work is installed at a kindergarten in district 12’s Thanh Loc ward, which is under lockdown. (Photo laodong.vn)

HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is set to offer a second financial relief package for businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to its Department of Labour , Invalids and Social Affairs.

Tourism, transport and small and medium-sized businesses, teachers, laid-off workers, and informal sector workers will be beneficiaries of payments that will be made between this month and December.

Le Minh Tan, director of the department, said it was working with authorities in the city’s 21 districts and Thu Duc city to compile a list of affected businesses and laid-off and informal sector workers who are eligible to receive the payments.

The department proposes to pay workers who were laid off for at least a month due to the pandemic monthly relief payments of 1.8 million VND (78 USD), Tan said.

The department allocated 611 billion VND (26.5 million USD) and 181 billion VND (7.85 million USD) for businesses and informal sector workers in the first relief package last year.

More than 20,500 lottery ticket sellers received more than 20 billion VND (869,400 USD).

Free food, essential goods

More than 600 workers placed under quarantine at the VINA Kitchen Ware JSC at the Tan Binh Industrial Park in HCM City on June 1 received essential goods and food for free from the Trade Union of the industrial parks and export processing zones.

They are quarantined after coming into close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Huynh Van Tuan, Chairman of the Trade Union, said the workers got minimum wages and other support in quarantine.

Infected workers would get financial assistance of up to 3 million VND (130 USD) and others would get 1.5 million VND (65 USD), he said.

A free rice dispensing machine for poor people and those out of work has been installed at a kindergarten in district 12’s Thanh Loc ward, which is under lockdown.

Disadvantaged people could get free rice and essential goods from a store set up next to the machine, Nguyen Duc Vinh, Secretary of the Thanh Loc Ward Youth Union, said.

Some three to four tonnes of vegetables transported from Lam Dong province are delivered to people quarantined in the Thanh Loc ward every three or four days./.

SABECO signs agreement with VFF, VTVCab Sport becomes the official supporting partner of national football

Under a new agreement with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and VTVCab Sport Development JSC, the group’s (SABECO) Bia Saigon will be the exclusive sponsor from the beer industry for the Vietnamese national football team, which includes the women’s national team and men’s under-22, under-23, and Olympic team, accompanying the teams at national and international competitions towards June 2022.

“As a brand that was born and bred in this country in 1875, there is a natural affinity between Bia Saigon and the Vietnamese national football teams,” said Bennett Neo, general director of SABECO. “We are proud to support the national football teams in their journey towards greater success and share their goal of bringing glory to the country.”

Meanwhile, Le Hoai Anh, general secretary of the VFF said, “We are happy to partner with such a prominent Vietnamese brand such as Bia Saigon. This partnership will bring further support to, and motivation for, our players and help in the development of Vietnamese football as a whole.”

Beyond the game

Football has been able to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport in a competitive spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play.

Over the last few years, the Vietnamese national football team has seen tremendous success in various international competitions, leading it to become a source of national pride for many Vietnamese. Last week, the team qualified for the third round of Asia’s FIFA World Cup qualifying section for the first time in history.

“This campaign saw the emergence of Vietnam, who made history by sealing maiden progression into the third round. Having reached the last eight at 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the team continues to make progress on the continental stage under coach Park Hang-seo,” stated a FIFA report.

The proud achievements of the Vietnamese are also the belief for Bia Saigon, a beer brand with more than 145 years of history, to constantly cheer and support the next generations on the path they have chosen.

With a commitment to bring pride to Vietnam, SABECO believes that the company’s brand messages and strategies, especially brands like Bia Saigon, should reflect the reality of the country as well as promote the rise of Vietnam.

“By sponsoring the Vietnamese national football team, which has been a symbol of Vietnam’s rise on the global stage for many, SABECO continues to contribute and promote the country’s development as we have done throughout our history,” added Neo. “Further, it also allows us to enhance our position as a leading Vietnamese brand not only locally but also internationally.”

SABECO was previously a sponsor of the Vietnamese delegation to the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAGames) in 2019. It has also sponsored various local sporting events such as the 2020 Tien Phong Marathon National Championship and annual Ooc Om Boc Festival, as well as international events including being an official domestic supporter of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup in Vietnam.

SABECO also became the first Vietnamese company to become associated with the English Premier League when its Bia Sai Gon brand became Leicester City’s official sleeve sponsor in 2018.

Sports sponsorships have always been a key part of SABECO’s 4C sustainable development strategy under its ‘country’ pillar and its support of, and association with, sports reflect its corporate values.

SABECO has established itself as one of Vietnam’s leading companies. It includes 26 breweries and 10 trading subsidiaries and has thousands of distribution points nationwide. It offers a brand portfolio that consists of some of the most well-loved beer brands in Vietnam, including Bia 333, Bia Saigon Special, Bia Saigon Export, Bia Saigon Lager, Bia Saigon Chill, Bia Lac Viet, Bia Saigon Gold, and Bia 333.

With a commitment to investing in business development along with sustainable development, SABECO is striving to create positive changes to enhance the position of the Vietnamese brand, while promoting positive development for the community and Vietnam.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the steering committee.

The standing board agreed on specific instructions to create favourable conditions for local authorities and businesses to access and purchase vaccines and quickly transport them to Vietnam.

The Health Ministry will work with authorized suppliers and Ho Chi Minh City’s administration on the city’s needs for vaccines.

Localities and businesses must be cautious when seeking vaccines to avoid the case when the manufacturer commits to selling them but deliver in 2022, not in this year.

The standing board urged the Health Ministry to early issue a document on extending the groups prioritized to receive vaccination, while preparing for launching the free-of-charge expanded vaccination drive and on-demand paid vaccination service after completing inoculation for priority groups.

Participants agreed to create the best possible conditions for the trial of homegrown vaccine. If the trial goes well, in the context of vaccine scarcity the Ministry of Health will submit to competent agencies for approval for use homegrown vaccines in emergency circumstances.

The Ministry of Health will coordinate with ministries and sectors to submit to the Government a proposal on accessing all vaccine supply sources in the world towards the goal of achieving herd immunity by the end of 2021, and create mechanisms to facilitate investors’ investment in the production of vaccines in the country to serve not only domestic use but also export.

The health ministry reported that in the coming time, along with Pfizer vaccine already bought, Vietnam is expected to receive a number of vaccines that have been approved for emergency circulation by the World Health Organisation.

Source: VNA