The Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) has assured Ho Chi Minh City it will ensure sufficient supply of rice to keep its prices stable.

Workers upload rice for export at Sai Gon Port. The rice agency says there is enough rice in stock to ensure prices will not rise. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue

Truong Thanh Phong, general director of Vinafood 2, said the company would build one more warehouse to add to the one in Binh Chanh District which has a capacity of 4,000-5,000 tonnes.

It also has a warehouse each in Long An and Tien Giang Provinces that will supply rice to the City in an emergency.

The HCM City Food Company (Foodcosa), a member of Vinafood 2, said the company would buy rice from the winter-spring crop to ensure adequate supply and keep prices stable during the rest of the year.

Huynh Cong Thanh, director of Foodcosa, said this year the company would join the City\'s price-stabilisation programme by supplying 2,500 tonnes of normal rice and 500 tonnes of fragrant rice.

He suggested that rice sold under the programme should be 10 per cent lower than the market price.

Phong urged authorities to allow Vinafood 2 to open selling points, especially in Districts 7, 9, 12, Thu Duc, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh, and Can Gio.

Foodcosa hoped City authorities would allow and create favourable conditions for it to build more warehouses in Cu Chi and Can Gio.

The People\'s Committee said outlets selling rice under the programme should be quickly opened in industrial parks and export processing zones where a large number of workers live.

Nguyen Thi Hong, vice chairwoman of the People\'s Committee, called on companies that had joined the programme to work together closely to distribute products.

The City was encouraging them to expand their networks, especially in remote areas like Can Gio, she said.

Moreover, they should supply rice directly to kitchens contracted to companies there, she added.