VIETNAM'S BUSINESS NEWS HEADLINES JUNE 24   02:35         Two more Vietnamese dairy firms licensed to export to China The Chinese General Administration of Customs (GAC) on June 22 granted transaction codes to two Vietnamese companies to export dairy products to China, reported the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Asia-Africa Markets. Accordingly, the Hanoimilk JSC was allowed to ship fermented and flavoured fermented milk to China. Meanwhile, the BEL Vietnam Co. Ltd could export other cheeses. The GAC is also reviewing applications by NUTIFOOD to grant codes. China has so far granted transaction codes to four Vietnamese companies and plants. Others include TH True Milk with sterilised and modified milk and Vinamilk with condensed milk./. Consumption of lychees supported online Many people now have access to an online market selling lychees thanks to the online programme “Support Vietnam’s Agriculture”. This is part of efforts to promote the consumption of local agriculture products and use contactless, non-cash payments, for greater convenience.   The “Support Vietnam’s Agriculture” programme is being carried out on an online platform from June 10 to 30, helping consumers in HCM City purchase thousands of products online rather than going to traditional markets. Luc Ngan lychee and ST rice products are the first two to have gone online. The programme aims to promote the domestic consumption of lychees via ensuring sustainable output. Products have gone through a strict quality control process and are delivered directly to customers. This has enabled farmers to earn a suitable profit and reinvest in other crops. The use of technology and the easier supply of agriculture products have brought unlimited benefits to customers./. Da Nang reviving its retail market post-COVID-19 Domestic visitors to Da Nang have started to rise again now that Vietnam has contained the COVID-19 pandemic. The city’s retail sales have also been recovering, and the city’s industry and trade sector has implemented a consumer stimulus program to ensure it continues to rebound. The number of domestic tourists to Da Nang has started to increase in recent days. A range of goods is part of the city’s stimulus program, which creates favourable conditions for visitors to buy at special prices. Since social distancing measures were eased, retail sales in Da Nang have seen a 19 percent increase in revenue. The city’s stimulus programme, lasting to the end of the year, has attracted the participation of 1,200 local companies, with commitments made to offer discounts. According to the city’s Department of Industry and Trade, the retail market has begun to prosper but local purchasing power is still not high. It has therefore cooperated with other units to identify specific solutions to increase purchasing power. Along with promotions, local businesses are also ensuring trade is civilised and are protecting consumer interests in order to help the domestic market provide leverage for the city’s economic growth./. Supply chain restructuring to bolster exports to EU With the impending EU-Vietnam Trade Agreement (EVFTA) set to come into force during the second half of the year, exports are poised to enjoy a fresh impetus, but it remains vital to invest methodically and restructure necessary supply chains in order for Vietnamese goods to remain competitive in the long run. The opening five months of the year saw the country’s exports to the European Union (EU) market reach a mere US$12.9 billion, a drop of 12% in comparison with the same period from last year. Most notably, territories such as Austria, Portugal, Denmark, and Ireland all experienced sharp falls of between 12% and 30%. Overall, the only four markets to enjoy any signs of growth were Hungary, up 62%, Estonia, with an increase of 50%, Finland, a rise of 36%, and Bulgaria, enjoying a boost of 16.4%. The forecast issued in late March by the Ministry of Industry and Trade anticipated that the nation’s exports to the EU during the first half of the year could see a drop of between 6% and 8% depending on if the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues into June, however the actual decline recorded after five months was much larger. Recent months have seen plenty of local footwear enterprises endure a "headache" due to the demand for footwear from the EU market decreasing sharply following a general economic downturn caused by the COVID-19. Orders for the end of the year remain scarce, if any, whilst the value of items will also be reduced by approximately 30% compared to 2019, a representative of a footwear business in the southern province of Binh Duong stated. Last year saw the Vietnamese export of footwear and handbags to the EU reach roughly US$4.65 billion and US$1 billion, respectively. At present, the EU is the second largest export market for the domestic footwear industry, accounting for 30% of the sector’s total export value. This highly lucrative market can be considered of special significance with the EVFTA about to take effect in the near future. As the EU represents one the globe’s largest markets, just a 10% drop in export turnover would correspond to a loss of nearly US$600 million. Meeting the criteria of origin and overcoming several of the high technical barriers set by the EU are two requirements that the nation’s goods must adhere to in order to enjoy preferential import tax rates and successfully gain entry into the vast demanding market. Whilst the EVFTA will come into effect during the second half of the year, it can be viewed that several of the advantages of a new market opening and tax reductions pose difficulties to create fast export growth for industries that usually greatly benefit from free trade agreements, such as garments and textiles, footwear, and seafood. Most notably, since the global breakout of the COVID-19, the country’s exports to the EU have shown signs of a slowdown, even recording a slight decrease in some sectors. Last year, the nation’s export turnover to the EU reached US$41.5 billion, while the 2018 figure stood at US$ 41.9 billion. Ta Hoang Linh, head of the Europe-America Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, explains that the country’s exports to the EU have gone through a period of hot development. Agricultural products such as coffee, vegetables, and cashew nuts are typically raw exports, so their added value is not considered to be high, and is strongly affected by price reduction and growing supply sources worldwide. As a result of this, even when demand from the EU market increases, Vietnamese enterprises will still have to overcome strict technical barriers from the EU if they are keen on increasing the volume of exported goods. In the long term, it is the responsibility of local businesses to intensify investment in production according to the value chain and make products stay fresh after processing. This should be done as a means of enjoying competitive export prices in order to battle against rival agricultural products in the EU. Regarding the opportunities that will be open to the nation once the trade deal becomes effective, Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador and head of the EU delegation to Vietnam, notes how the country’s export growth to the EU from 2001 to 2018 surged by 16%, a smaller level when compared to the share of global trade. Therefore, the nation must use the opportunities brought about by the EVFTA to seize the initiative and boost export growth. Tim Evans, General Director of HSBC Vietnam, says that the EVFTA will create a range of new opportunities for Vietnamese exporters to enjoy, although Vietnam must reform and restructure supply chains if it wants to effectively utilise plenty of the positive aspects of the agreement. Aliberti believes that it is possible for both sides to enjoy a great deal of benefits once the trade pact enters into force. Indeed, a World Bank study states that the nation’s GDP is anticipated to increase by approximately 2.4% and its exports to the EU market will enjoy growth of 20% by 2030 once the EVFTA comes into effect. Hanoi’s craft villages revive production in post COVID-19 Hanoi’s traditional craft villages have changed their production focus and are gradually reviving business activities as the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control. Famous for its traditional crafts, Hanoi has the most craft villages in Vietnam with 1,350, accounting for nearly one-third of the country's total numbers. Their products are diverse and sophisticated and have firm footholds in foreign and domestic markets.  Hanoi’s craft villages have yet returned to full capacity since the Government loosened its COVID-19 restrictions on production activities. Famous villages like Phu Vinh rattan and bamboo village in Chuong My district, Ha Thai lacquer village and Quat Dong embroidery village in Thuong Tin district, and Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl mosaic village in Phu Xuyen district are still trying to recover from the pandemic’s economic impact. They have started making more of the products suited to domestic use like baskets, trays, and shopping bags and fewer of the decorative and souvenir items favored by European and American customers. The pottery export markets of Bat Trang village in Gia Lam district are almost frozen. More than 80% of the Tan Thinh pottery workshop’s export orders have been cancelled. Meritorious Artisan Tran Duc Tan, the workshop’s owner, elaborated “We are in extreme financial difficulty because many orders have been shipped to clients and we have not yet received payment. The domestic market—gifts ordered by businesses for events, for example—has also been affected.” Nguyen Van Nghia’s pottery workshop is in a similar difficulty. “Big businesses which have enough human and material resources can resume production immediately. But small household businesses like us find it harder to restart,” Nghia explained. To increase their competitiveness, many small businesses are improving their designs and product quality and learning how to market their products online.  Ha Van Lam, Deputy Head of the Representative Board of Bat Trang Pottery Village, said “We have encouraged traders at the Bat Trang pottery market to take responsibility for promoting their brands. Our mission is to maitain our reputation, fight counterfeit, fake, or untraceable items and not to let them mingle with authentic Bat Trang items.” Phu Yen leather and footwear village in Phu Xuyen district has resumed production since social distancing was relaxed, but isn’t at full capacity yet. Its production volume fell 50% this year. In the past, Phu Yen village made only office shoes. Now it must diversify its products to include sports shoes, fashion shoes, and children's shoes. To adapt to the new situation, production facilities in Van Phuc silk weaving village in Ha Dong district have re-organized their management, re-trained their workers, and boosted their online trading channels. Conference to help foster investment, development cooperation in Hanoi A conference promoting investment and development cooperation in Hanoi is scheduled to take place on June 27, with the aim of popularising the capital city as a safe and attractive destination for investors. At a meeting held on June 22 to review preparations for the conference, Director of the Hanoi Promotion Agency Nguyen Gia Phuong said nearly 10 provinces and centrally-run cities, along with 540 businesses, including 120 foreign firms, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming event, entitled “Hanoi 2020 – Investment and Development Cooperation”. Via this conference, the city will show its determination to take the lead in post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development. The event is also expected to help press on with administrative reforms, business climate improvement and introduction of the potential and investment opportunities in the city and other localities in the Hanoi Capital Region. According to the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, the Hanoi People’s Committee plans to hand over licenses to 116 projects worth 339.67 trillion VND (14.7 billion USD) in total, including 266.23 trillion VND of additional capital, at the conference. They include 33 projects on housing and urban development, 19 office building projects, 12 tourism and service projects, 32 industrial projects, and 12 cultural-social ones. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue said the conference will take place at an important time as it will reflect Hanoi’s sense of responsibility towards the dual tasks of fighting against COVID-19 and boosting socio-economic development. The event will send out a message that Vietnam, including Hanoi, is a safe and attractive destination for investors, he noted, highlighting its importance to not only the realisation of this year’s targets but also local development in the years to come. Mekong Delta partners with Vietnam Airlines to promote tourism The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on June 22 coordinated with national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines to hold a seminar on promoting tourism in the post-COVID-19 period. Experts suggested solutions to attracting tourists to the Mekong Delta and Can Tho in particular such as combing air tickets, tours and hotels; diversifying tourism products; and improving the quality of services. Vietnam Airlines is joining hands with the region to develop tourism and economy via air routes connecting the delta with northern, central, Central Highland provinces and southern island districts. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said the move of opening new air routes in key localities aims to set up a service supply chain that benefits both visitors and travel businesses. Vietnam Airlines took this occasion to announce new domestic routes linking Can Tho with Hai Phong, Vinh (Nghe An), Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak), and Da Lat (Lam Dong). It also signed cooperation agreements with these localities to promote tourism in the post- COVID-19 period. Rice export price lowest in two months Higher rice supply in the domestic market has made the export price of Vietnam’s broken rice drop to 450 USD per tonne on June 19, the lowest level in the past two months. The Vietnam News Agency reported that domestic supply is increasing due to harvesting the summer-autumn rice crop. Vietnam am can export 2.3-2.5 million tonnes of rice from this rice crop after ensuring sufficient domestic consumption. The export price on June 4 hit the highest level of 475 USD per tonne, as rainfall affected the harvest. Meanwhile, India's export rice prices last week also dropped to the lowest level in two months due to weakness of the rupee and lower rice demand. The prices of five percent broken parboiled rice in India fell to 366-372 USD per tonne on June 18, the lowest level since March 26. Prices of Thai five percent broken rice also plunged to 505-525 USD per tonne on June 18 from 505-533 USD per tonne the previous week. According to the General Department of Customs, Vietnam in the first five months of this year gained growth in volume and value of rice exports compared to the same period last year. Specifically, rice exports surged by 12 percent in volume to 3.09 million tonnes and by 26.6 percent in value to 1.5 billion USD. While the average export price rose by 13 percent to 485.1 USD per tonne. In May, the nation shipped 953,950 tonnes of rice, earning 492.54 million USD while the average export price reached at 516.3 USD per tonne. They were up 87 percent in volume, 93.6 percent in value and 3.6 percent in price compared to April. They also increased by 40.6 percent, 67.6 percent and 19.2 percent, respectively compared to May 2019. During the first five months, Vietnam exported the most rice to the Philippines with a total volume of 1.3 million tonnes, earning 598.6 million USD. Exports rose by 22.4 percent in volume and 41.4 percent in value year on year. Rice exports to the Philippines accounted for about 41 percent of the national rice export volume and about 40 percent of the national rice export value. China was the second largest market with an export volume of 429,261 tonnes and a, export value of 257.4 million USD, accounting for about 14 percent of the total volume and 17.2 percent of total value. The exports increased by 92.4 percent in volume and 131.2 percent in value over the same period of last year. Vietnam also gained strong growth to many markets, including Senegal (18.3 times), Indonesia (192 percent) and France (171.6 percent). However, it saw sharp reductions in other markets, such as Brunei (92 percent), Algeria (89 percent), Angola (89 percent), Turkey (83 percent) and the US (69.2 percent). Conference to help foster investment, development cooperation in Hanoi A conference promoting investment and development cooperation in Hanoi is scheduled to take place on June 27, with the aim of popularising the capital city as a safe and attractive destination for investors. At a meeting held on June 22 to review preparations for the conference, Director of the Hanoi Promotion Agency Nguyen Gia Phuong said nearly 10 provinces and centrally-run cities, along with 540 businesses, including 120 foreign firms, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming event, entitled “Hanoi 2020 – Investment and Development Cooperation”. Via this conference, the city will show its determination to take the lead in post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development. The event is also expected to help press on with administrative reforms, business climate improvement and introduction of the potential and investment opportunities in the city and other localities in the Hanoi Capital Region. According to the municipal Department of Planning and Investment, the Hanoi People’s Committee plans to hand over licenses to 116 projects worth 339.67 trillion VND (14.7 billion USD) in total, including 266.23 trillion VND of additional capital, at the conference. They include 33 projects on housing and urban development, 19 office building projects, 12 tourism and service projects, 32 industrial projects, and 12 cultural-social ones. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue said the conference will take place at an important time as it will reflect Hanoi’s sense of responsibility towards the dual tasks of fighting against COVID-19 and boosting socio-economic development. The event will send out a message that Vietnam, including Hanoi, is a safe and attractive destination for investors, he noted, highlighting its importance to not only the realisation of this year’s targets but also local development in the years to come./. Thailand’s central bank likely to keep interest rate unchanged The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is expected to leave its key interest rate unchanged at a record low after easing monetary policy three times this year to help mitigate the economic damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, a Reuters poll showed. In the poll, 17 of 20 economists predicted the BoT's Monetary Policy Committee would hold its one-day repurchase rate at 0.5 percent. The rest forecast it would cut the rate by 25 basis points to a new record low of 0.25 percent, citing a weaker economic outlook and strength in the baht. Most analysts think policy room is limited after five cuts totalling 125 basis points since August. Policymakers may want to monitor the effects of previous easing and fiscal and monetary steps introduced to mitigate the outbreak impact. On June 19, the BoT also announced interest rate cuts for credit cards and personal loans to help debtors. The central bank has hit its "limits on rate policy easing" as the lockdown has ended and the economy is back in action, ING economist Prakash Sakpal said. Thailand has removed most restrictions to revive Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. The central bank recently said the economy could shrink this year more than earlier expected. In March, it forecast a 5.3 percent contraction, the worst since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. It will offer updated economic forecasts after the meeting./. Cooperation statement inked to support garment, footwear workers, companies A joint statement on a cooperation initiative to address COVID-19 impacts on workers and businesses of the textile-garment and leather- footwear-handbag industries in Vietnam was signed in Hanoi on June 22. The signatories consist of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO), and the National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands (CNV). Via this document, they call for the building of an agenda and a roadmap which involve social partners wishing to join hands to overcome crises and develop sustainable and prosperous industries. Particularly, they recommend investing in strategic partnerships and promoting social dialogue that suits the context in Vietnam and international labour standards. VGCL Vice President Ngo Duy Hieu said amid the COVID-19 pandemic that is still raging around the world, the VGCL and relevant parties call on the governments of Vietnam and EU member countries, along with EU partners and brands, to provide timely support for workers and businesses affected by this outbreak by minimising administrative procedures and assisting the sectors to become creative industries applying sustainable and environmentally friendly production methods. According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced employment in the textile-garment and leather- footwear-handbag industries. More than 1 million of the 4.3 million employees in these sectors have become jobless while the rest have worked at only 50-60 percent of capacity, and thus their income has also decreased by 40 percent. Meanwhile, more than 75 percent of workers in the two industries are women who form a more vulnerable group in society. Although businesses and trade unions have strived to sustain jobs and income for employees, job losses and income reduction among 4.3 million workers have still affected nearly 3 million families, he noted. Hieu added it’s now time to promote the development of the textile-garment and leather-footwear-handbag industries by capitalising on trade agreements, thereby boosting training for and job seeking capacity of workers. Enhancing the sense of responsibility of brands in supply chains will also help maintain jobs and livelihoods for workers. In 2020, the export turnover of the textile-garment industry is forecast to drop by 8.5 billion USD while that of the leather-footwear-handbag sector may fall 5.5 billion USD. Due to COVID-19 impacts, shipments to the EU alone by both industries are projected to decrease by nearly 5 billion USD this year. Vietnamese firms, hospitals joins India’s first virtual healthcare fair About 15 Vietnamese firms are joining the Virtual Healthcare and Hygiene Expo 2020, which is being held from June 22 to 26 by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau said that the event will mark the start of a new trend on trade promotion in the coming time. Virtual fairs offer the best way for Vietnamese businesses to approach global partners at a low cost amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, he added.  On showcase are products, services, technologies and equipment in traditional medicine, functional foods, healthcare products, cosmetics and pharmacy, among others. Vietnamese doctors of Military Hospitals 175 and 108 are also participating in the event to study new technologies and treatment methods.  According to organisers, this is the first virtual fair that has been organised in India. It draws the participation of 150 firms, hospitals and healthcare centres of host India and other countries. Thousands of visitors from India and 120 countries and territories have registered to join and seek customers through the event, which is open round the clock and can be accessed anywhere in the world.  Webinars and business to business (B2B) meetings will also be held between Indian experts, researchers, firms and international partners to share information, experience and look for new cooperation chances./. Cambodia sets to export 5 million tonnes of agricultural products this year Cambodia expects to export more than 5 million tonnes of agricultural products this year, the Phnom Penh Post quoted Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries senior official Ngin Chhay as saying last week. The country exported 1.9 million tonnes of agricultural products in the first five months of the year, up 7.35 percent compared to the same period last year, with milled rice topping the list. Ministry data show that the Kingdom shipped 4.87 million tonnes of agricultural products abroad last year – more than 4 million tonnes to ASEAN countries, 430,000 tonnes to China, 261,000 tonnes to the EU and 135,000 tonnes to other countries. Cambodian agricultural products are bought by more than 60 countries. The EU purchases 17 types of products, ASEAN countries buy 42 types and China procures 26 types. The agricultural sector plays a vital role in promoting Cambodia’s national economic growth, and now more so, as many countries around the world suffer from food shortages stemming from the pandemic, he said. The sector has also shifted more attention to aquaculture and animal husbandry, he said. Chhay said the total agricultural land area used for farming in Cambodia last year was about 4.88 million hectares. Of the amount, paddy was grown on 3.88 million hectares, cassava was grown on about 650,000ha, cashew nuts on 230,000ha, red corn on 200,000ha, mango on 120,000ha, yellow bananas on more than 40,000ha, Pailin longan on nearly 10,000ha and pepper on more than 2,000ha, he said./. Can Tho, Switzerland strengthen multifaceted cooperation The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho wishes to receive continued support from Switzerland and the World Bank in climate change response, urban development, and tourism-trade-service development, said a local official. At a reception for Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Ivo Sieber in the city on June 22, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Quang Manh expressed his hope that Swiss enterprises will enhance investment cooperation with the city. He said that Can Tho boasts fine relations with Switzerland in all fields such as politics, foreign affairs, culture, sports, tourism and economy, trade and investment. However, the two sides still see a lot of potential to develop them in the near future. Can Tho has favourable conditions in agricultural production, aquaculture and fruit cultivation, he said, adding that as a key city in the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is determined to build itself into the region’s economic, industrial, commercial and service centre. For his part, Ambassador Ivo Sieber said that the Mekong Delta is a very important socio-economic region but now it is greatly affected by climate change. He said he hopes that Switzerland will continue strengthening cooperation in this field with Can Tho and is willing to cooperate with the city to improve its institutional and technical capacity as well as the ability of its civil servants. According to the diplomat, the close coordination of management agencies at different levels in planning and managing measures to renovate urban areas is an important factor to attract investment from the private sector. Over the past years, Switzerland has coordinated with the World Bank to support the city in strengthening its resilience to climate change through the project “Developing Can Tho city and strengthening adaptation capacity”. Nearly 40 percent of the city’s population with approximately 420,000 people in the core area are expected to directly benefit from the project and 2,675 hectares of land will be free from flooding. The number of indirect beneficiaries from the project is even greater, including the city's remaining population of about 1.25 million and 10.3 million in the Mekong Delta, equivalent to 60 percent of the region’s total population. Can Tho is one of many cities within the framework of Swiss cooperation with Vietnam. Switzerland supports the city in many areas such as flood prevention and early warning, urban development and urban resilience enhancement, sustainable tourism, public finance management, business registration and agricultural reform. The Swiss Government is committed to assisting the economic transition, including the development of green cities with climate resilience and adaptation, in the Mekong Delta, he added. In addition to meeting with municipal leaders, the Swiss Ambassador also visited a number of Swiss-funded climate change prevention projects in the city./. AEON executive officer hopes for more Vietnam’s thieu lychee exports Executive Officer Soichi Okazaki of Japan’s AEON shopping mall developer and operator has said the company wants to import fresh “thieu” lychee and other tropical fruits from Vietnam. Vietnam’s “thieu” lychee hit the shelves of AEON shopping centres across Japan starting on June 22. Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam said that Vietnamese “thieu” lychee being for sale at Japanese malls demonstrates that Vietnam’s agricultural sector has succeeded in meeting stringent standards of such a demanding market as Japan, which is hoped to help Vietnam’s lychee to conquer other choosy markets in the future. In the coming time, the Vietnamese Embassy will work with relevant agencies to help longan and other fruits cultivated in Vietnam enter the Japanese market, he added. On June 20, the first batch of fresh “thieu” lychee went through customs clearance at Japan's Narita International Airport. Upcoming shipments are set to reach the East Asian nation via sea transport. In late 2019, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced the opening of the door to Vietnamese lychee, with regulations in place on imported plant quarantining for the fruit. This was the result of more than five years of negotiations between the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and MAFF./. Businesses satisfied with national single window mechanism A seminar was held in Hanoi on June 22 to announce the result of a survey on corporate satisfaction about processing time of administrative procedures via the national one-stop shop mechanism. The event was co-hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the General Department of Vietnam Customs, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). In his opening speech, VCCI Vice President Hoang Quang Phong said the survey collected opinions of nearly 3,100 businesses about 12 administrative procedures and public services that are most processed on the national single window. Surveyed procedures are under the State management of the ministries of industry and trade, transport, agriculture and rural development, science and technology, and health. Respondents said they have considerably saved time and costs when using such services. Dau Anh Tuan, head of the VCCI Department of Legal Affairs, said almost all the basic functions on the window are operating well, with 95 percent and 93 percent of respondents finding it easy and relatively easy to use them, respectively. However, 27 percent were unsatisfied with connectivity errors, 20 percent said processing remains slow, and 26 percent met barriers regarding imports quality inspection procedures. Representatives from businesses and associations suggested accelerating electronic payment, tackling difficulties in the use of digital signatures, and providing several utilities in support of enterprises on the window. Ministries and agencies were also urged to continue improving transparency regarding processing progress, as well as simplifying document forms./. Master plan for Cambodia’s largest airport revealed The State Secretariat of the Civil Aviation (SSCA) Mao Havannal has presented its master plan for the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, which is set to be the largest airport in Cambodia. The new airport will be located 51 kilometres southeast of downtown Siem Reap and 40 kilometres from Angkor Archaeological Park, covering an area of around 700 hectares at a total cost of 880 million USD. The plans were handed over to Lu Wei, Chairman of the Board of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (AIAI). Havannal said that construction on the new Siem Reap International Airport started on March 15, 2020 and will be scheduled to complete by March 14, 2023. “In regards to the construction process, the company has cooperated closely with the technical team of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, focusing on technical equipment and airport design,” he said. SSCA’s spokesperson, Sin Chansereyvutha, told Khmer Times that the master plan must first be recognised the aviation authority. Then, the Council of Ministers will check and finalise its approval. He said that until now, the development of the new Siem Reap International Airport is approximately 25 percent complete, including land preparation, basement for the passenger terminal and foundation of the runway./. Dong Thap keen on switching to efficient irrigation The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has encouraged farmers and farming companies to improve the efficiency of their irrigation to increase yields and reduces costs. They have adopted spray and drip irrigation for nearly 25,000ha of crops. Efficient irrigation improves yields by 25 percent and saves 45 percent water, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. This translates into 20 percent higher incomes. It also helps crops cope well with conditions like drought and climate change. Le Vu Hung of Lap Vo district’s Tan Khanh Trung commune invested in a drip irrigation system in 2018 for his 4,000sq.m net house where he grows cucumber, honeydew melon and other vegetables fruits. It helps him grow clean crops and save labour costs since irrigation is controlled automatically. He can grow four crops a year in the net house and earn an annual income of 600 – 800 million VND (25,800 – 34,500 USD). Many fruit farmers in Chau Thanh and Lai Vung districts and Cao Lanh city use efficient irrigation systems, thus saving 25.8 million VND (1,100 USD) per hectare per year, according to the department. The province has provided subsidies to farmers in many districts for building net houses with efficient irrigation systems to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, and other crops in recent years. The province is one of the largest producers in the delta of rice, mango and flower, and 70 percent of its population lives in rural areas. Yet, efficient irrigation systems remain few and far between, understandably so since the cost of installing them is high and many farmers cannot afford them, according to the department. Besides, spray irrigation requires large use of power, which the local grid cannot meet since it barely meets household demand. Many farmers in the province in fact depend on diesel pumps to irrigate their crops. Authorities encourage farmers to invest in solar power systems for irrigation. In Thap Muoi district, the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development has provided subsidies to some farmers to invest in solar power. Nguyen Duong Tien of Thap Muoi’s Thanh My commune, spent about 130 million VND (5,600 USD), including 30 million VND worth of subsidy from the bureau, to install a solar system last year. He now saves 1.3 – 1.5 million VND (56 – 65 USD) a month while irrigating his 1.2ha fruit orchard. He expects to recover the cost of the solar system within five to six years and the system has a guarantee period of 20 years. “Using a solar power system can save much money and surplus power can be sold to the power grid.” Bui Van Son, deputy head of the bureau, said the bureau would collaborate with relevant agencies to further advocate solar power and encourage farmers to invest in it. “This will help save production costs and increase efficiency”./. Vero releases Recovery Plan Playbook to helps firms develop framework to bounce back from Covid-19 As Southeast Asia prepares to re-open and recover from months of isolation and lockdown, brands and business leaders must decide how they will emerge from the pain caused by the pandemic and pave the way for a return to full strength. In a bid to spark ideas and inspire businesses to ask themselves the right questions, Vero, a Southeast Asia-based integrated PR and digital agency has created a free Recovery Plan Playbook intended for brands and businesses to use as a supplement to their existing recovery frameworks. “While many analysts are bullish on the prospects of a steady recovery in Southeast Asia, many factors remain unknown. However, it appears that for many brands and businesses the pre-pandemic ways of business may no longer apply,” said Brian Griffin, Vero ASEAN Managing Director. “We’ve designed this playbook based on the questions our clients are asking us and the advice that we’re giving them. We’re sharing it now because we know that a healthy economic recovery is in the best interests of everyone in the region, not just our clients.” The Recovery Plan Playbook is designed as a guided thought process for business leaders to use as they plan for the year ahead, with suggested questions to ask themselves as they work to emerge from the pandemic crisis stronger and more competitive. Readers will also find ideas for gathering consumer insights and sourcing new customers and partners, improving employee engagement, and interrogating and reforming their plans for digitalization, public relations, and crisis communications. The Recovery Plan Playbook is designated as a first edition, to be updated periodically as both the regional situation and Vero’s insights evolve./. Singapore keeps goal of expanding rail network by early 2030 Singapore’s plan to expand its rail network by more than 50 percent will be delayed as a result of the impact of COVID-19, but it still aims to hit this target by early 2030, said Singaporean Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on June 22. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore said that at present the country has a total of 230km of railway. The country wants to expand its rail network to about 360km by 2030, which would connect eight in 10 households to a train station within 10 minutes. Rail lines that are scheduled to be completed in the next decade include the remaining phases of the Thomson-East Coast Line, Jurong Region Line and the first part of the Cross Island Line. Khaw said that measures to combat COVID-19 have resulted in a drop in usage of public transport, but demand will return with time. Public transport ridership is now at about 40 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels, after movement restrictions were eased on June 19. The entire MRT network in the country consistently exceeds a mean kilometre between failures (MKBF) of one million train-km, he noted. MKBF, a benchmark measurement of rail reliability, refers to the mean distance between a train fault of more than five minutes. Between April last year and March this year, the MRT network of Singapore achieved 1.4 million train-km between failures./. Vietnamese firms strive to reduce inventory after COVID-19 Inventory has become a common concern of domestic enterprises due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey conducted by the General Statistics Office showed 57.7 percent of enterprises affected by the pandemic said their consumption market had decreased sharply. The shrinking consumer market is a top concern of most businesses at the moment. Enterprises are not only greatly affected by the shrinking domestic market, but their goods also cannot be exported. Purchasing power after the pandemic has improved but is still at a modest level, which makes inventory of many businesses still very large. To improve purchasing power, free inventory, and stimulate domestic consumption, HCM City has launched promotional activities lasting two months. Pham Thanh Kien, Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said the highlight of the programme was the combination of the two traditional shopping channels and e-commerce. To help businesses expand consumption markets, the city will hold a programme to connect the city and other provinces in September. The programme aims to form supply chains from production to consumption and delivery, bringing the city’s goods into distribution systems of other provinces and vice versa. In terms of businesses in the food industry, Luong Dang Son, Director of SagoFood Food JSC, said the pandemic had a great impact on the consumption of goods. In addition, consumers had also changed their habits as they spent more time at home, he told Tap chi Tai chinh (Finance) online newspaper. To improve purchasing power of consumers and stop the market narrowing, Son said his company was focusing on online trading. The company had connected with more than 2,000 online shopping points to attract customers, he added. Dinh Minh Tam, Deputy Director of Co May Import Export Company in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, said the company was facing difficulties in finding markets to export its tra fish (pangasius). This meant the company was focusing on selling in the domestic market, he said. “In order to target domestic consumers, we are approaching distribution systems in big cities like HCM City and Hanoi to activate domestic consumption for our products to solve difficulties in exports,” he added. Meanwhile, experts advised businesses to re-organise distribution systems. They also noted the need to set up a production and distribution chain going straight from production to consumption in key markets, especially in big cities and densely-populated areas./. Anam Cam Ranh appoints new director of sales and marketing A seasoned hospitality professional with almost two decades of experience working for some of the world’s leading hotel brands has been named five-star Anam’s director of sales and marketing.  Vietnamese national Mandy Tran Thi My Dung’s appointment to The Anam comes after she worked as the director of sales and marketing during the pre-opening of the nearby Hyatt Regency Nha Trang for one year.  Before that she worked for the Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa for eight years, including as the hotel’s director of sales and marketing for almost seven years.  Prior to the Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa, she was the director of sales at the Dalat Palace and Dalat Du Parc Hotel (formerly Sofitel Dalat and Novotel Dalat) as well as a wholesale sales manager for the Park Hyatt Saigon and Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City.  She also holds a Bachelor of Economics at National University Ho Chi Minh City./.  Son La ships 30 tonnes of fresh mangoes to US The northern mountainous province of Son La will ship the first batch of 30 tonnes of locally-grown mango to the US. The fruits are selected in orchards in Mai Son district. According to the exporter, the Kim Nhung Produce Trading Limited Company, mangoes grown at Mai Son are of high quality, boast a nice appearance, and are of a standard weight and size suitable for the US market. Dinh Kim Nhung, head of the company, said local orchards are endowed with rich soil and rarely plagued by insects, so high yields are a regular occurrence. Vu Tien Dinh, Chairman of the district’s People’s Committee, said numerous communications programmes have been held to promote local mangoes and growers have attended cultivation classes. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the Son La People’s Committee, highlighted the importance of this first batch, saying it confirms that Mai Son’s mangoes meet the requirements of demanding markets. Mai Son’s mango orchards exceed 2,600 ha, of which 145 ha meet VietGap standards. The total harvestable area is over 1,250 ha, yielding 14,000 tonnes annually. The district has sold more than 5,000 tonnes of mangoes in the domestic market this year and exported 1,600 tonnes to China. Son La has emerged as a major fruit growing province in recent years. Besides mango, the province plans to export more than 30,000 tonnes of other fruits such as longan and plump this year./. Agriculture needs more investment in processing industry The agricultural sector needs more investment to develop the processing industry in order to increase exports of local farming products. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected exports of local fresh vegetables and fruits, especially to China, one of the key export markets for those products. However, Viet Nam has gained strong growth in processed farming products as the situation has forced local enterprises to change export markets and also promoted processing of farming products. Local businesses have affirmed that investment in processing technology has helped the agricultural industry restore after the pandemic and also reach the goal of becoming one of the top 10 countries in processing agricultural products in the world, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The Government should have policies to encourage enterprises to invest in processing technology, the ministry said. Many businesses said in the developing processing stage for the agriculture sector, they have not had difficulties in capital and investment in technology but struggled for material area to supply input products for processing factories. The raw material area is a key factor in all processing sectors. Therefore, enterprises in the processing sectors need to promote co-operation with farmers and co-operatives to ensure input material, according to the ministry. This has also required each locality to identify key products to develop material areas, the ministry said. Farmers need to strengthen links with businesses to sell their farm products. Minister Cuong said there are many processing plants of the agricultural sector set to come into operation, especially processing plants for fruits and vegetables. In the future, Viet Nam needs policies encouraging investment to the processing industry and to adjust locations of processing facilities to match the development of material regions. Localities should develop clusters of production, processing and consumption of agricultural products. Nguyen Quoc Toan, director of MARD’s Agro-product Processing and Market Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said in recent years, the agricultural sector has restructured. The ministry plans to restructure 13 products to develop key products together with development of the processing industry. Recently, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a directive to set tasks and solutions to develop the processing industry of agro-forestry-fishery products and mechanisation of agricultural production. According to the directive, Viet Nam will strive to be among the world’s top 15 most developed countries in agriculture by 2030 with agricultural processing to rank in the world’s top 10. The PM has directed that Viet Nam must rank in the world’s top five countries producing fruit and vegteables, seafood and wood products. Those are key farming products with many advantages in development of production and export. Viet Nam records about US$4 billion from fruits and vegetables exports annually, about $11 billion from exports of wooden products, and $9 billion from seafood products. Hai Duong to send first shipment of Thanh Ha lychee to Japan The first batch of fresh “thieu” lychee grown in Thanh Thuy commune, Thanh Ha district, in the northern province of Hai Duong will depart for Japan on June 24. The lychee was purchased, packed and sent by Ameii Vietnam Joint Stock Company to Bac Giang for methyl bromide fumigation before being exported to Japan by air./. Ameii Vietnam expects to ship about 1.2 tonnes of Thanh Ha lychee to Japan in 2020. This will be Ameii Vietnam’s fourth lychee shipment this year, Chairman of the Board of Directors Nguyen Khac Tien said. Japan is a promising market, he noted, and Vietnamese lychee has been well-received by local consumers. Just last week, Ameii Vietnam shipped, for the first time, about one tonne of lychee from Bac Giang to Japan. It has also exported 60 tonnes to Singapore, half of which were grown in Hai Duong. Pham Van Khanh, Acting Chairman of the Thanh Thuy Commune People’s Committee, said it is home to more than 340ha of lychee, including 77ha grown under VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. VietGAP- and GlobalGAP-certified lychees fetch prices 10 to 15 percent higher than the market price. The total area of Thanh Ha lychee in Hai Duong stands at 10,000ha, which are expected to produce more than 40,000 tonnes this year. The province has so far earned over 1.1 trillion VND (47.28 million USD) from the local specialty. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has worked with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) over the last four years to conduct testing and negotiations to pave the way for exports. The MAFF finally agreed to import lychee from Vietnam last year. Japan is expected to purchase some 100 tonnes of fresh “thieu” lychee from Vietnam this year./. VNN