Viet Nam News HCM CITY — The ultraviolet (UV) radiation index in HCM City will remain at the high-risk level of 8-12 until the end of this week, according to Weather Online, a UK-based meteorological service firm. The UV Index (UVI) in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday reached 12 and is expected to be 10, 8 and 9 levels for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, respectively. The UVI, developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation, is a measure of UV radiation. The index ranges from zero upward. The higher the UVI, the greater the potential for damage to the skin and eyes. A UV index of 6 and 7 is considered “high”, 8 to 10 "very high", and 11 and more "extreme", according to the WHO. UV radiation is strongest between 10am and 4pm. The average temperature in the southern region, including HCM City, since Monday has been 35-37degrees Celsius, according to the Centre for Hydro-Meteorological … [Read more...] about UV radiation index reaches high-risk level in HCM City
Hcm city weather forecast
HCM City’s wholesale markets prepare for Tết
Viet Nam News HCM CITY – With the Tết (Lunar New Year) approaching, the managements of HCM City’s wholesale markets have been instructed to monitor the market and prices and keep traders informed, the city Department of Industry and Trade has said. Phạm Thành Kiên, its director, said prices should be kept steady instead of having them plummet before Tết, which would cause customers to wait for that and leave their goods unsold. Forecasts of demand have been provided to traders, he said. The managements should monitor the market for pricing and supply anomalies and preclude any surplus or shortage of goods, he said. Last Tết a huge quantity of flowers were discarded by traders due to oversupply and a deterioration in quality because of the long distances they had to be transported. Nguyễn Nhu, deputy director of the Thủ Đức Agromarket Management and Business Company, which runs the wholesale Thủ … [Read more...] about HCM City’s wholesale markets prepare for Tết
Heavy rains flood HCM City streets
Heavy rains flood tunnels at Bình Triệu Bridge on Wednesday morning. — Photo: tuoitre.vnViet Nam News HCM CITY — Heavy rainfall that lasted for a few hours in the early Wednesday morning flooded several streets and alleys in HCM City. Flooding occurred on Phạm Văn Đồng Street and Nguyễn Xí Street in Bình Thạnh District, and Phan Văn Trị Street in Gò Vấp District. Tree branches also fell on the roads. Numerous alleys in these areas were also flooded, even though water drainage systems along the roads have been upgraded. Tunnels at Bình Triệu Bridge in Bình Thạnh District and Khánh Hội Bridge in District 4 also flooded. Many vehicles broke down while travelling through deeply flooded areas. Hùng, a resident living on Nguyễn Xí Street, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper that he saw rainwater mixed with oil on one road. Many residents … [Read more...] about Heavy rains flood HCM City streets
Supermarkets in HCM City gear up for Lunar New Year
In addition to cutting prices on more than 5,000 essential items from January 11 to February 14, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra have teamed up with suppliers for another programme under which they will cut prices of many kinds of fresh food by the maximum possible rates for seven days starting just before Tet. They have also applied “Super discounts” and “Buy more, get more discounts” on the weekend and incentive programmes for their loyal customers such as offering high reward points. Similarly, Korean retailer Lotte Mart also launched three consecutive promotion programmes: The “Tet comes to Lotte Mart” programme takes place from January 24 to February 15, with discounts between 5-49% on more than 1,200 products; “For a full Tet” from February 7 to 15 with discounts on over 80 Tet-featured products; and “Starting a desired spring” programme from February 13 to 21 with hundreds of products discounted between 5-49%. Supermarket … [Read more...] about Supermarkets in HCM City gear up for Lunar New Year
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/1
Vietnam promotes trade, tourism in ChileVietnamese Chargé d'affaires a.i. in Chile Nguyen Minh Anh introduced the potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Chile in trade and tourism at a seminar in Chile on January 19.Anh highlighted the remarkable growth in bilateral trade exchange recently, with value reaching 1.28 billion USD. He noted that Vietnam is the 10th biggest foreign trade partner and the second largest Southeast Asian market of Chile.The diplomat underlined the trend among young Chilean entrepreneurs to seek investment opportunities in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.A representative of the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Vietnam – Chile free trade agreement, effective in 2014, has made significant contributions to increasing trade exchanges between the two nations.Vietnam can serve as a gateway for Chilean products to enter ASEAN markets, while Chile as a bridge connecting Vietnam and Latin America.The seminar, jointly hosted by the Embassy … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/1
Social News 15/1
Small-scale coffee farmer gets helping handLò Thị Phong from Chiềng Chung Commune in Mai Sơn District in the mountain province of Sơn La, has cultivated coffee for more than 10 years on 5,000 square metres of land, but she still finds life difficult.A decade seems long enough to improve farmining practices by trial-and-error, however, according to the middle-aged Thái woman, “even now, we still cannot keep proper financial accounts”.During discussions hosted by CARE International last week, stakeholders in the mountain coffee industry touched on deeper obstacles facing the industry.CARE has worked in Việt Nam since 1989, concentrating on supporting rights and sustainable development among vulnerable groups, particularly remote ethnic communities, poor women and girls and people vulnerable to climate change.Nguyễn Vĩnh Đức, deputy director of the Sơn La branch of the Minh Tiến Coffee Export Joint Stock … [Read more...] about Social News 15/1
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/1
Pepper growers concern about falling pricesPepper growers are entering the harvest season of 2018 in the southeastern region of Vietnam, concerning about price fall and output reduction because of pests and diseases.Traders now pay VND65,000-66,000 a kilogram of pepper, accounting for half of the price in the same period last year.Long lasting rains last year created conditions for pests and diseases to attack pepper crop, resulting in output drop this year.According to statistics, high pepper prices in previous years sent farmers to expand farming area to 40,100 hectares in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc provinces in 2017. The area far exceeds the plan of 12,800 hectares by 2020 of the Government.That has broken supply and demand balance causing continuos price reductions for the last two years. Enterprises develop fast in number, efficiency low: economic survey 2017Data from economic survey of HCMC 2017 showed that although the number of enterprises quickly develops, their … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/1
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 12/1
Can Tho’s retail revenue exceeds 100 trillion VNDThe Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has posted its highest ever retail revenue of over 106 trillion VND (4.66 billion USD) last year, up 10 percent from 2016.The information was released by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade at its conference to review 2017 performance, which took place on January 11.With that figure, Can Tho topped the Mekong Delta and was ranked third nationwide only behind Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Statistics showed that the city now has 18 shopping centres and supermarkets, 48 convenience stores, 8 safe vegetable stores, and 107 wet markets.Truong Quang Hoai Nam, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, highlighted the record retail growth but pointed to the fact that modern shopping malls are mainly located in Ninh Kieu district. Can Tho’s income per capita has surpassed 72 million VND (3,168 USD) per person per year, he added, suggesting the industry-trade sector and … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 12/1
Social News 5/1
Quang Binh one of the top ten destinations in Vietnam: Trip AdvisorIn 2017, Central Quang Binh Province ranks fourth among the top ten Vietnamese destinations after Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hoi An, according to the travel website Trip Advisor.Dang Dong Ha, vice director of the provincial Department of Tourism, said Quang Binh is known as the kingdom of caves and is a paradise waiting to be discovered on interesting tours of fascinating locations like Son Doong, Tu Lan cave system, Da Nhay beach, Thien Duong cave, Phong Nha-Tien Son, Chay River, and Toi cave.Quang Binh welcomed 100,000 foreign visitors for the first time in 2017, a year-on-year rise of 120%.Mr Ha attributed such a rise in popularity to the localities’ efforts in improving service quality and new tourism products, organizing a variety of promotional programs for local tourism like Quang Binh cave festival, and hosting Miss Grand International, all of which lured more visitors to the province. 21 explosions … [Read more...] about Social News 5/1
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 5/1
Social housing: Loan interest rate maintained at 5% The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has decided to keep preferential loan interest rate unchanged at 5 per cent for purchase, rent or hire of social housing projects in 2018.The decision took effect from the beginning of this year, replacing Decision No 2544/QD-NHNN, dated December 30, 2016, on interest rate for loans applicable in 2017 for social housing projects.The interest rates will be applied for house buyers who have already sought loans from the VND30 trillion (US$1.32 billion) housing stimulus package launched in 2013 as the minimum repayment term is 15 years, and from the Viet Nam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP).The VND30 trillion (US$1.32 billion) housing stimulus package aimed primarily at social policy beneficiaries and estate developers of such projects. Of which, VND21 trillion, accounting for 70 per cent of the package’s total has been given to home buyers of projects. The remaining 30 per cent … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 5/1