HCMC – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has demanded the Industry and Trade and Finance ministries report their rice export activities, especially the procedures for opening the online customs system for rice export registration, to the Government before April 18.
His order was issued on April 15 after many rice exporters complained that they were not informed by the General Department of Vietnam Customs or any other relevant agencies that the Vietnam Automated Customs Clearance System would be opened at midnight on April 12.
As a result, the exporters have encountered difficulties as they were unable to register for rice exports while their rice inventories remain stockpiled at ports, reported Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
Accordingly, Deputy PM Dung asked the Ministry of Finance to report on its efforts to manage and monitor the volume of rice being approved for export this month following the prime minister’s directives.
In this report, the Finance Ministry has to specify its methods for producing a list of rice exporters, the time for opening the online customs clearance system, the rice volume that each exporter successfully registered on the system and its cooperation efforts with the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the issue.
Also, the Finance Ministry must report rice purchasing activities for the national reserve to the Government.
The Industry and Trade Ministry has to make a report on the completion of assigned tasks, including rice export management and coordination efforts with the Finance Ministry.
Earlier, 40 rice traders successfully registered to export 400,000 tons of rice in April just a few hours after the online customs system was opened at midnight.
In response to complaints filed by many rice traders who could not register for rice exports, Nguyen Van Can, head of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, noted that the online customs system for April’s rice export registration worked automatically and was not touched by customs officials.
