Firms promote pork demand, farmers struggle

Vissan Co., Ltd is offering discounts of up to 49 percent on VietGap type 1 pork from June 11 to 15 at all of its fresh meat sales points includingat its shops, Saigon Co.op’s retail system, Vinmart supermarkets, Vinmart+, Satrafoods, Aeon Citimart, Giant Hypermarket, Auchan, Cocomart, Queenland mart, HQC Mart, and My Duc.

With the discounts, the prices are down to 40,000 VND a kilogramme for pork chops, 62,000 VND for thighs, 57,000 VND for shoulders, 66,000 VND for minced pork, 31,500 VND for pork spine and so on.

From June 12 to 15, the company is also implementing a programme to sell cuts of pork at just 25,500-36,000 VND a kilogramme depending on type.

Dang Thi Phuong Ninh, the company’s deputy general director, said more than 530 tonnes of pork were sold in the period between June 6 and 10, when the company cutVietGap type 1 pork prices by 30-42 percent,an increase of more than 51 percent over normal, with the increase reaching 130 percent on some days.

A programme to sale retail pork at wholesale prices by An Ha Services Co., Ltd this month has been very successful in stimulating demand for the products of pig farmers in Cu Chi and Hoc Mon districts.

Nguyen Thi Hong Tham, director of An Ha Services Co., Ltd, said within a week VietGap pigs weighing 120kg were sold out.

Now the company has started to sell animals weighing 90-100kg, and sells around 40 a day, and 70 on occasions, she said.

The number of customers has increased so much that its sale points have to issue tokens, she said.

Many customers want the company to open shops in other locations so that they do not have to travel long distances, but the company lacks the space and human resources for that, she said.

According to experts, the response of consumers and the active support provided by city businesses would help resolve the difficulties faced by pig farmers.