HCMCity (VNA) - Food companies in the southern largest economichub of Ho Chi Minh City have enough stocks to meet demand during Tet in mid-February, Trieu Do Hong Phuoc,head of the HCM City People’s Council's Committee for Economy and Budget, hassaid.

Municipalauthorities have stepped up inspection of food sold at wholesale marketsto ensure safety during the festival, he said.

PhamKhanh Phong Lan, head of the city’s Food Safety Management Board, said theboard would closely monitor food production, processing, distribution, andimport-export establishments.

Thisyear it plans to set up 20 teams of inspectors to check 8,187 establishmentsbesides carrying out surprise inspections of those suspected of violatingsafety and hygiene regulations.

Adelegation from the People's Council’s Social and Cultural Committee willinspect food and agricultural products at wholesale markets such as Binh Dien,Binh Tay and Binh Tien.

CaoVan Thanh, deputy head of the Binh Tay Wholesale Market Management Board, saidthe market administration is seeking to raise tenants’ awareness of food safetyand hygiene requirements.

Those inspectorteams has already inspected the Hoc Mon Wholesale Market in the namesakedistrict and some markets in District 11.

LeVan Tien, deputy director of the Hoc Mon Market Management and Trade Company,said his market was one of the first two in the city to pilot a safe foodmodel. Supervision of the quality of food products is done regularly anddiligently, he added.

Themunicipal People’s Committee has also called on businesses participating in theannual price stabilisation programme to increase supply this year.

Thosetaking part help keep the prices of 10 groups of items steady, including rice,instant and dried noodles, RE and RS sugars, cooking oil, cattle meat, poultrymeat, poultry eggs, processed foods, vegetables, seafood, and spices. Theirprices are 5-10 per cent lower than market rates.

SaigonCo.op’s multiple retail chains have already begun Tet sales so that customerscan buy most of the items now and buy only fresh produce close to the New Year,which falls in mid-February.

NguyenVu Toan, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said they have stockpilednearly 4.9 trillion VND (212.3 million USD) worth of goods for Tet, a 20 percentincrease from last year. The cooperative would increase quality inspections ofits supermarkets 10-fold over normal months, he added.

SaigonTrading Group (Satra) is sourcing over 2.4 tonnes of items like rice, processedfoodstuff and pork for supply during Tet,a 63 per cent increase over a normal month.

NguyenPhuc Khoa, its deputy general director, said the company pays close attentionto food safety and origin.

Porkprices have stabilised due to the country’s efforts to increase the number pigsand import frozen pork, and Satra and its subsidiaries would supply a largenumber of new products such as seasoned meat and spring rolls during Tet, he said.

Retailersplan to increase the number of cash counters and take other steps to ensureconvenience and safety for customers during the peak shopping season.

Theywill also offer home delivery and sell ancestral offering packs, which used tobe traditionally prepared at home during Tet.They will also make sales trips to remote areas./.