Reporter: Hello, comrade! Would you please share the overview of trade and services of Thai Binh today?

Comrade Tran Huy Quan: It can be said that our province's socio-economic development is increasingly comprehensive, in which trade and services develop in the direction of modern civilization, meeting the increasing needs of people. people. Transport infrastructure is interested in promoting investment, facilitating regional connectivity, promoting goods circulation. Industrial production of the province follows the direction of developing industries with modern, advanced and environmentally friendly technologies, creating branded products, competitive advantages, and high added value. Agricultural production focuses on promoting organic production to create an abundant, rich and diverse source of goods and products. Thai Binh currently has 64 OCOP products with 3 stars, 4 stars, 25 typical rural industrial products. These products have a good volume of production and are manufactured according to food safety standards, ISO, HACCP. These are favorable conditions to promote the connection of supply and demand, and promote the consumption of agricultural and industrial products in the province's rural areas.

Reporter: Dear comrades, what has the province done in the past time to awaken those potentials and strengths and promote the development of trade and services?

Comrade Tran Huy Quan: The Provincial People's Committee has issued and implemented many mechanisms, policies, programs, schemes and plans to develop the province's trade and service sectors. Typically, the project on the development of industry and trade; the project on promoting the export of goods in Thai Binh province in the period of 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030; the plan to develop the domestic market in association with the campaign for Vietnamese people to give priority to using Vietnamese goods; e-commerce development plan; Industry and trade promotion programs have supported the promotion and introduction of products, innovating business methods, connecting supply and demand to promote product consumption for people and businesses.

In particular, Thai Binh successfully organized two conferences to connect supply and demand to promote consumption of typical agricultural and industrial products of the province in 2022 and develop the provincial rice market in 2023. introduce and connect distribution channels in the province with retail distribution groups, trade centers, supermarkets, wholesale markets, domestic and international businesses. We continue to work with distributors, key businesses, e-commerce platforms to deploy signed cooperation agreements, link to post and promote products on information pages, websites, and exchanges. e-commerce in the country. Through the supply and demand connection programs, trade promotion, typical products, OCOP products, typical rural industrial products of the province are known on the shelves of supermarket chains belonging to distribution corporations. domestic and foreign retailers, as well as good consumption through a number of e-commerce platforms.

Thai Binh's rice and rice products are highly appreciated by many people at the conference on developing rice market in Thai Binh province in 2023.

In order to promote the export of goods, Thai Binh advocates the implementation of export promotion activities associated with foreign investment promotion activities. In 2022, the province has organized a number of delegations to promote investment and trade in Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and some other countries; attracted a number of businesses to work, learn, sign MOUs, and register for investment in Thai Binh.

The diversification and innovation of connection methods has given all types of businesses the opportunity to promote, and at the same time capture market demand in time, thereby adjusting production and business activities accordingly, exploiting the market. market, paving the way for the direct entry of goods into foreign distribution networks and effective participation in global value chains. In 2022, Thai Binh's total retail sales of consumer goods and services will increase by 19.6%, export turnover by 13.5%, import turnover by 20.1%; exports to the markets of countries with which Vietnam has signed FTAs ​​account for 32-35%.

Reporter: Obviously the province has been actively involved, but it seems that the commercial and service sectors have not developed as expected, what is your opinion with this statement?

Comrade Tran Huy Quan: The achieved results are remarkable, however, the connection between supply and demand still reveals some limitations affecting the development of trade and services. Specifically, most of production activities are small-scale, have not built a specialized production area of ​​great value, not really connected to the market, and the consumption link is not deep and ineffective. Some production facilities are still slow to innovate and complete in terms of labels, packing specifications, traceability, product brands; competitiveness, added value is not high. Enterprises have not properly invested in promotion, advertising and product consumption activities, have not clearly identified key markets to approach and dominate. In addition, logistics infrastructure, goods storage, and order fulfillment services have not yet met the requirements, and the business scale and force of the enterprise are still small.

Reporter: In order to improve the efficiency of connecting supply and demand, promote product consumption, and implement regional linkage in the coming time, what solutions has the Department of Industry and Trade had?

Comrade Tran Huy Quan: We will strengthen exchanges, exchanges and cooperation in trade and culture between provinces and cities in the Red River Delta region and with other localities in the country and internationally. Supporting businesses to promote digital transformation and e-commerce applications. Connecting large distributors with businesses to promote the exchange of goods sources, creating conditions for consumers to experience shopping for local specialties in the region. The Department shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant departments, branches and units in reviewing and building a database of key products, traditional products and other typical products of the province, updating the supply capacity of the province. responding, supporting enterprises to improve design, quality, packaging, building production area codes, traceability, and promoting product brands.

Closely coordinate with departments of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, foreign trade agencies to provide information and forecast demand in a number of key markets to support key products and local featured products. into foreign distribution chains. Thai Binh will attract and call for large distribution corporations to invest in building and developing business facilities in the province such as logistics infrastructure, storage warehouses, trade centers, supermarkets, wholesale markets; increase purchasing and support local products to participate in the distribution chain of enterprises. In addition, directing and supporting the province's goods supply enterprises to actively develop policies on goods distribution and sales promotion; take advantage of opportunities from trade agreements (FTAs) to exploit and expand markets to help businesses develop and integrate successfully.
Reporter: Thank you very much, comrade!
Performed by: Khac Duan - Thai Binh Newspaper