Although it is a large wholesale market, mainly selling wholesale fashion goods, many traders at Tan Binh market are also facing a prolonged slump - Photo: Q.BAO
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade is developing a comprehensive project to develop the traditional market system, adapting to digital transformation and new consumer needs.
The project discusses many solutions from infrastructure, planning, changing functions...
"I have been selling at the market for three generations so I can't bear to quit."
Doing business in the market is usually bustling because it is located in a prime location of the city, but Ms. Ngo Thi Dong, a trader at Ba Chieu market (HCMC) - said that business activities at the market since the COVID-19 pandemic have become increasingly difficult, especially with the fashion group being almost constantly sluggish, many stalls have no customers all day.
According to Ms. Dong, many traders still try to stay at the market because this is not only a job, but also a habit, a memory, a family tradition, some families have been selling at the market for three generations.
Similarly, every day at the market, she almost only goes to surf the phone and chat, Ms. Trinh Thi Huong, a fashion trader at Thu Duc market (HCMC) - said that the market has a variety of products and is divided into areas selling food, fashion, cosmetics, household goods... but almost only the food industry is doing okay, the rest are gradually losing sales.
"Purchasing power has decreased by 70% compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, when going to wholesale markets to import new goods, selling them at almost cost price, there are still not many customers, while in previous years, everything was sold out as soon as it was imported," Ms. Huong complained.
Managing a traditional market considered to be relatively large in scale in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Bui Thi Anh Nguyet - representative of the management board of Pham Van Hai market (Tan Son Hoa ward) - said that according to the design, the market has 1,698 stalls, but in reality, only more than 900 stalls are operating, the rest are used as warehouses or are closed.
According to Ms. Nguyet, the situation of traders stopping selling or reducing sales has been going on for many years, but the biggest drop has been in the last 2-3 years due to a lack of business. Many traders have stopped selling, causing the market's revenue to drop sharply, making it difficult to manage and repair.
"If there are no fundamental solutions, traders leaving the market and markets operating at a low level will become a common story at many traditional markets in the city," Ms. Nguyet said.
How to "rescue" the market?
Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online today, a representative of Xom Chieu market (Xom Chieu Ward) said that many traditional markets are degraded, dirty, and have damaged drainage systems, making people increasingly reluctant to go shopping. In addition, spontaneous markets and sidewalk encroachment markets have exploded and surrounded the markets since the COVID-19 pandemic, making the operations of traditional markets more difficult.
The sluggish situation at traditional markets, especially for the fashion industry, is getting worse - Photo: Q.BAO
"The government needs to consider upgrading the degraded market soon and thoroughly handle the rampant spontaneous business and sidewalk encroachment. Businesses in the market are managed, have taxes and fees, while spontaneous markets are almost unmanaged and have no taxes or fees. This is unfair," he said.
Meanwhile, doing business at Binh Tay market (Binh Tay ward) for many years, Mr. Nguyen Van Quyen said that recently the State has supported online sales training and livestream sales for traders, but the results have not been as expected.
"Training is intermittent, while many sellers are old and not familiar with technology, so it is difficult to maintain this activity. In addition, the space at many stalls is quite modest and cramped, so it is not suitable for livestream sales," Mr. Quyen explained.
According to Mr. Quyen, the State needs to have long-term policies and appropriate solutions to support online retailers. In addition, dissolving inefficient markets to concentrate resources on more efficient markets is also necessary and should be done soon.
Ms. Bui Thi Anh Nguyet said that in addition to policies on infrastructure and changing the functions of markets, the State needs to review the control over the activities of e-commerce platforms and online business activities.
"The e-commerce channel is booming, many goods sold through this channel are surprisingly cheap, making it impossible for market traders to compete, even if they sell below cost price, they still give up.
"I don't know what the current tax and fee policies are for this business channel, and whether they are fair to other business forces," Ms. Nguyet questioned.
Meanwhile, a representative of a market management board in Ho Chi Minh City said that the government has discussed the plan to develop traditional markets associated with experiential and tourism activities, but to effectively implement this solution, there needs to be a clear policy on supporting traders to keep their jobs, change jobs, support market management and connect with tourist sources.
Prioritizing capital allocation for new construction and upgrading of markets is not much.
According to a representative of a market management board in Ho Chi Minh City, Decree No. 60/2024/ND-CP, allowing localities to invest in building markets using budget sources (public investment) for all market categories 1, 2, 3... is one of the notable new points in market development and management, helping to remove 'bottlenecks' in market investment and development - this is an advantage.
However, currently, prioritizing capital allocation for building new, upgrading, and repairing traditional markets in some localities has not been as expected.
Together "Contribute to the development of industry and trade in Ho Chi Minh City"
Tuoi Tre Newspaper in collaboration with the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City opened a forum "Proposing ideas for developing industry and trade in Ho Chi Minh City". The forum aims to listen to ideas and solutions from businesses, researchers and people to build and develop industry and trade for the new Ho Chi Minh City, forming a strong urban area in industry - trade - services, with international competitiveness.
Mr. Bui Ta Hoang Vu - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City - said that he will respect and listen to every opinion and suggestion from people and businesses to advise the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on breakthrough solutions to develop industry - trade - services.
Readers participating in the forum can send their comments to the editorial office of Tuoi Tre newspaper, 60A Hoang Van Thu, Duc Nhuan ward, Ho Chi Minh City, or send them via email: kinhte@tuoitre.com.vn.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cho-e-cach-nao-de-giai-cuu-tieu-thuong-20250801221633786.htm
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