Part II: The "forgotten" market

As we mentioned in the previous issue, despite its obvious role and effectiveness, the current infrastructure of traditional markets is deteriorating and has many shortcomings, mainly due to unsynchronized and ineffective management and investment, and difficulties in investment resources.

Dong Minh seafood market (Tien Hai) is seriously degraded, traders have to use temporary tarpaulins to cover their business.

Market in disrepair

Surveying the current state of markets in the province, when we were present at Dong Minh seafood market (Tien Hai), traders gathered around to express their frustration at the market no longer being a market. Local traders said that the market was invested in expanding and repairing since 2006. After 18 years of operation, many infrastructure items of the market began to deteriorate. Storm No. 3 recently collapsed the entire roof of the market, which has not been repaired since then. To maintain business activities, traders have to use tarpaulins to block out the sun and rain. Local traders said that they are trying to temporarily fix the rain and sun, but the most worrying thing is that some corrugated iron sheets are still stuck, the system of beams and steel frames are rusty, termite-ridden, and could collapse at any time. In order to make a living, people have to accept the danger and still go to the market to trade every day.

At Pho market, Duong Hong Thuy commune (Thai Thuy), the market infrastructure is also deteriorating rapidly due to nearly 25 years of use and little investment in renovation. 21m of the market's surrounding wall has collapsed, the rows of sheds with concrete columns have cracked and broken, exposing rusted steel, the old fibro cement shed roofs are broken and full of holes, and the traders use packaging, cloth, and nylon to cover the market temporarily, so the already shabby market is now even darker and more shabby.

Niem Market, Vu Ninh Commune, Kien Xuong District is deteriorating, unsafe and causing environmental pollution.

Not only Pho market, many markets in the province invested in the period 2005 - 2015 are now also deteriorating in infrastructure, not meeting the buying and selling needs of traders and people. For example, Niem market, Vu Ninh commune (Kien Xuong), Vu Thu town market, Thong market, Hoa Binh commune (Vu Thu), Vo Hoi market, Dong Kinh commune (Dong Hung)... in addition to kiosks and stalls with damaged walls, columns, rafters, and roofs, the current market floor is lower than the surrounding area, so every time it rains, it is flooded. The drainage system and sanitation facilities are no longer guaranteed, causing frustration for people and traders.

Why?

There are many reasons for the deterioration of the infrastructure of the traditional market, the main reason being the lack of investment from the local government. Mr. Pham Anh Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Duong Hong Thuy Commune (Thai Thuy) shared: Although we know that the market plays an important role in promoting the local agricultural economy and contributing to ensuring social security, the investment budget for the market is always limited. The amount of fees collected from the market is not enough to reinvest in repairs and upgrades. The limited local budget must prioritize investment in many important and urgent projects such as schools, medical stations, roads, sidewalk systems, residential area drainage, etc. After the administrative boundary merger, the commune has up to 3 markets, to invest in renovation and upgrading requires more than 20 billion VND, so the People's Committee of the commune has not been able to arrange the investment budget.

Currently, the public markets invested by the state are all assigned to organizations and individuals for management and exploitation. Most market management boards not only neglect infrastructure management but also have the mentality of exploiting the market, not reinvesting, and entrusting the local government with the periodic repair and renovation of the market, causing the market infrastructure to quickly deteriorate.

Mr. Pham Hung Vuong, Deputy Head of the Economic - Infrastructure Department of Dong Hung district, said: In addition to the erosion of time, one of the reasons for the deterioration of the market infrastructure is that the awareness of preserving and maintaining the market among traders and consumers has not been raised. Many traders do not pay attention to the hygiene of the sales area, consumers litter indiscriminately, affecting the entire space and environment of the market and directly affecting the quality of stalls, kiosks, water supply and drainage systems, sanitation facilities, etc. of the market.

Worrying consequences

The degraded infrastructure of the traditional market is one of the reasons why both traders and people are less interested in going to the market to buy and sell. Many markets that were once bustling with buyers and sellers are now deserted, ineffective, causing waste of investment and land area. And naturally, without meeting at the market, some traders go to do business on the street, giving rise to temporary markets, posing potential risks to traffic safety and causing environmental pollution.

Due to lack of management and investment, many markets do not have or have drainage systems that are no longer working, the market floor is low and often flooded, and environmental sanitation is not well implemented, so the markets become places of environmental pollution and disease outbreaks, especially during the rainy season. While the market is mainly a place to trade fresh food and processed food, with such a polluted environment, many people question whether food safety and hygiene and the health of consumers are guaranteed?

Mr. Do Phuc Hau, Deputy Head of Economic - Infrastructure Department of Thai Thuy district

Thai Thuy has 37 traditional markets with a total area of nearly 13 hectares. The markets' infrastructure is degraded and investment in renovation and upgrading is slow due to difficulties in investment funding, making market operations ineffective and wasting land resources. In particular, traditional markets are no longer attractive to small traders, which will affect the circulation of goods, especially essential goods for people's lives, causing loss of job opportunities for thousands of people who are familiar with the profession and make a living from small businesses at the market. Traditional markets are still an important traditional trade channel, so it is necessary to have mechanisms and policies to create resources for localities to invest in renovation, upgrading, and maintaining operations in the coming time.

Mr. Tran Van Thuan, Chairman of Dong Minh Commune People's Committee (Tien Hai)

We are also very sad to see the market in disrepair, but the locality does not have the conditions to invest in repairs. The commune People's Committee only assigns the market management board to pay the budget 12 million VND in market fees/year, this amount is not enough to reinvest in the market's infrastructure. Dong Minh is striving to become a type IV urban area, so the market is planned to become a commercial center combined with a people's market, with an estimated cost of more than 20 billion VND. The current difficulty of the locality is that it still owes nearly 30 billion VND to build new rural areas and needs to be resolved. In the immediate future, the need for capital to invest in upgrading urban infrastructure is also large and urgent.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Linh, manager of Dong Minh seafood market (Tien Hai)

Previously, Dong Minh seafood market attracted hundreds of small traders, so it was planned to become a seafood wholesale market serving the people of Dong Tien Hai area. Due to the market's degradation and lack of investment in repair, in addition, some markets in neighboring communes such as Dong Co, Dong Hoang, Dong Long, Dong Xuyen were invested in expansion and decoration, attracting many small traders from Dong Minh seafood market. Currently, the market has only more than 50 small traders, and few customers come to shop, so the market fee is not enough to serve the management, sanitation and local budget.

Khac Duan

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/4/212731/ky-ii-cho-bi-bo-quen