Ministry of Industry and Trade Press Review for October 22, 2018
A. Energy and Petroleum
- Junin 2 Project Losses: The National Assembly will receive a report on the Junin 2 heavy oil project in Venezuela, which is currently facing such heavy losses that operations have been suspended,.
- Intense Fuel Competition: The domestic fuel market is predicted to face fierce competition between local refineries and imported petroleum, especially as import taxes drop to 0%,.
- Global Oil Volatility: Global oil prices saw fluctuations due to diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, while Asian prices were pushed higher by increasing demand from China,.
B. Electricity and Renewables
- Solar Power Pricing: Binh Thuan province has requested the Government to allow local solar projects to benefit from the incentive prices under Decision 11/2017 until the end of 2020 to support investors,.
- Solar Financing: Vietcombank has signed a credit contract worth 785 billion VND for the BP Solar 1 plant in Ninh Thuan, which is expected to begin operations in early 2019,.
- EVN Performance: In the first nine months of 2018, the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) reported a 9.66% increase in production and purchase volume, reaching 158.1 billion kWh.
- Rural Electrification: EVN plans to provide electricity to approximately 5,200 households in Son La province before the Lunar New Year.
C. Heavy Industry and Automobiles
- Shift in Imports: For the first time, U.S.-origin cars surpassed Thai-origin cars in weekly import volume (250 units vs. 129 units).
- EU Car Prices: Imported cars from Europe are expected to see significant price drops due to tax exemptions under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
- Market Exit: Taiwanese automobiles, which once imported thousands of units annually, have nearly disappeared from the Vietnamese market in 2018.
D. Light Industry and Startups
- Paper Industry Dilemma: Approximately 70% of Vietnam’s paper output is produced from scrap; however, tightening regulations on scrap imports pose a challenge in balancing production with environmental protection,.
- Innovation Events: Da Nang hosted the “Demo Day” for investment and startup connectivity to foster innovation,.
E. Import-Export and International Trade
- Beef Demand: Despite having 5.4 million cattle, Vietnam remains a top destination for beef exporters as domestic supply fails to meet rising market demand,.
- Electronic Import Ban: The Ministry of Information and Communications has released a list of used IT products, such as computers and printers, that continue to be banned from import.
- Regional Competition: China’s expansion into dragon fruit and watermelon cultivation is creating significant challenges for Vietnamese agricultural exports, which rely on China for 80-90% of their volume,,.
F. Domestic Market and Consumer Protection
- Retail Decline: The once-popular brand Parkson is struggling in Vietnam, closing multiple stores due to heavy losses and a failure to adapt to new consumer trends,.
- Logistics Boom: Foreign logistics and e-commerce operators are aggressively entering Vietnam to capitalize on the peak demand for warehouse space,.
- Market Integrity:
- The “Proud of Vietnamese Goods” program has successfully shifted consumer sentiment from “prioritizing” to being “proud” to use local products.
- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City seized and destroyed 1.8 tons of “dirty” poultry meat intended for consumption,.
- Market management forces detected over 34,000 violations related to counterfeit goods between 2017 and late 2018.
G. Commodity Price Trends
- Agricultural Prices:
- Pork: Prices have begun to “cool down” to 50,000–51,000 VND/kg in the Mekong Delta and 47,000–50,000 VND/kg in the North,.
- Coffee: Prices decreased slightly by 600 VND/kg but remain stable above 36,000 VND/kg,.
- Dragon Fruit: Red-flesh dragon fruit in Tra Vinh rebounded to 37,000 VND/kg,.
- Other Crops: Areca nut prices reached a record high of over 30,000 VND/kg in Thừa Thiên-Huế, while rubber trees in the same region are being cut down for firewood due to low economic efficiency,,.
Analogy: The Vietnamese agricultural export sector is like a specialized craftsman who relies on a single large customer (China); when that customer begins to build their own tools (expanding their own cultivation), the craftsman faces an urgent need to diversify his clientele to survive.
