Abandoned rural markets: Responsibility lies with local authorities

Billion dollar market…empty

My Quang Market (in Trung Thanh 1 village, Phu My commune) is located on a nearly 1 hectare plot of land, solidly built with the following items: an outdoor market, a 500 m² house, a toilet area, and a guard house. The total investment is nearly 2 billion VND. However, more than 10 years since its completion, My Quang Market has not been held once because no one comes to trade.

My Quang Market (Phu My Commune) was solidly built but is currently vacant. **Photo: VL**

Currently, the outdoor market area is used by some people to dry agricultural products, gather construction materials, and park cars. The inside of the house is also used as a parking lot and to store many other items. Due to lack of regular maintenance, the house has deteriorated and many items are damaged.

Similarly, My Chanh Tay market (Trung Thuan village, Phu My commune), which has been invested with over 1 billion VND, is often deserted. Only once in a while does anyone come to trade at the market; most of the year, the market grounds are used by locals to dry agricultural products.

Vinh An market (Binh Phu commune) was invested in and built systematically on a land area of about 0.2 hectares, including 2 main buildings and auxiliary items such as drainage system, toilets, with a total investment of more than 3 billion VND. The market was put into use at the end of 2023 but until now it is still empty, with no trading activities. Most of the market area is used by people to dry straw and graze livestock.

Need solutions for effective exploitation and use

In addition to some abandoned markets, many other traditional markets in the eastern communes of the province, although put into operation after construction, have not been as effective as expected. Most of the markets are in a state where traders and people only trade in the outdoor area; the indoor area is rarely used or not used at all. Typical examples include Van Phu market (Phu My Bac commune), Binh Thanh market (Binh An commune), My Hoa market (Phu My Tay commune)...

Inside the My Quang market house (Phu My commune) is used by local people as a place to park cars and store other items. **Photo: VL**

Leaders of some of these communes believe that it is a waste for traditional rural markets to have a greenhouse area but not fully exploit its functions. However, due to the characteristics of rural areas, people prefer to trade outdoors for convenience, making it difficult for local authorities to require traders to enter the greenhouse area.

Mr. Ly Kim Dinh, Chairman of Binh Phu Commune People's Committee, said: Vinh An market was invested to meet the criteria of new rural areas, but its operation has not met expectations. The reason is that people's lives are still difficult and they are used to the practice of "mobile trading" so they do not want to go to the market. In the coming time, the commune will propagate and mobilize people to hold markets; gradually put Vinh An market into regular operation, avoiding waste.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Minh Tuan, Chairman of Phu My Commune People's Committee, explained: My Quang and My Chanh Tay markets are located near Phu My market (the commune's central market), so people who need to trade all gather there. In addition, My Quang and My Chanh Tay markets were previously built to meet the new rural criteria. However, after the implementation of administrative unit arrangement according to the 2-level local government model, these markets are no longer suitable for the planning.

“Phu My Commune (merged from My Quang Commune, My Chanh Tay Commune and Phu My Town) has completed procedures to convert the functions of My Quang and My Chanh Tay markets to serve agricultural services. After merging My Quang and My Chanh Tay agricultural cooperatives into Phu My agricultural cooperative, the locality will assign the new cooperative to manage and use assets and land funds at the markets in accordance with legal regulations,” Mr. Tuan added.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, traditional markets in rural areas are under the management of the People's Committees at the commune level. Therefore, local authorities need to be responsible and proactive in finding solutions to exploit and use the markets effectively, meeting the business and trading needs of the people; at the same time, avoiding wasting land and public assets.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cho-nong-thon-bo-hoang-trach-nhiem-thuoc-ve-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-post563508.html