HCMC – Hoc Mon wholesale market in HCMC’s outlying district of Hoc Mon partially resumed operations starting today, September 20, after a long suspension triggered by the latest Covid-19 outbreak. This is the third market to reopen to ensure sufficient supply of food and foodstuffs for residents in the city.
Earlier, the authorities of Hoc Mon District had approved a plan from the Hoc Mon Agromarket Company, which manages the Hoc Mon wholesale market, about setting up a location for the gathering and transshipment of goods at the wholesale market.
Sixteen wholesalers were expected to operate at the market and supply around 100-200 tons of vegetables per day for the city. This means normal pre-outbreak transactions are still disallowed at Hoc Mon wholesale market.
To ensure compliance with safety protocols, the district authorities asked the company to closely coordinate with wholesalers and employees at the market to strictly follow the market’s regulations.
The market operator will be responsible for ensuring safety and compliance with anti-virus measures, including requiring employees at the market and drivers to take daily tests before they enter the market.
Moreover, all people and vehicles must be disinfected before entering the market. Wholesalers are required to arrange hand sanitizers, face masks and trash bins at their places of operation and to clean the areas before closing.
Further, people participating in the operations at the market must have got at least one Covid vaccine shot and follow anti-virus measures. Fully vaccinated people will be given priority to operate provided that they got their second shot 14 days ago.
The market operator will spray disinfectant over the entire market at least once a week and disinfect working and trading places every day of operation, according to the plan.
Previously, the two wholesale markets of Binh Dien and Thu Duc in the city were partially reopened as transshipment points.
Binh Dien wholesale market reopened on September 7. After one week of reopening, the volume of goods gathered at the market increased to nearly 100 tons per night from 28 tons per night. The number of wholesalers eligible to operate there rose from seven to 18.
However, Satra Trading Group, the parent company of the Binh Dien Market Management and Trading Company which operates the Binh Dien wholesale market, said the volume of goods transported to the market remains lower than the expected figure of 150 tons per night, as wholesalers remain uncertain of the market after a long period of suspension.
The Binh Dien market management company added that it will facilitate applying technology to the market’s operations and take measures to support wholesalers and employees in Covid testing.
As for Thu Duc wholesale market, it partially reopened on September 17 after its shutdown on August 23.
