Unsold meat and eggs pile up in southern localities

Le Van Quyet, Chairman of the Long Thanh Phat Cooperative cum Vice Chairman of the Southeast Breeding Association, said consumption has been hit hard after the closure of slaughterhouses because of Covid-19. Daily sales have dropped by 60-70 percent, he said.

Quyet said his association estimates that the southeast region has about 5-7 million unsold chickens and farmers are reducing their flock to avoid heavy losses.

The consumption of eggs has stagnated for sometime because mooncake bakeries have been closed, he said.

"Every day, Binh Duong has more than two million chicken eggs and 200,000 quail eggs that are not consumed in the market," said Pham Van Bong, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In Dong Nai, farmers have thousands of pigs, 200,000 white-feathered chickens, 80,000 ducks, 6,000 goats, 300,000 quails, 50 tons of pomelos, and 800 tons of beans unsold.

Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands is also suffering similar circumstances. According to Doan Ngoc Co, Deputy Director of Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the whole province has about 19,000 hectares of harvested vegetables, but the selling price has declined by approximately 30 percent and the consumption volume has decreased by a third.

The pileup has been attributed mainly to the transport restrictions imposed in 19 Covid-hit southern localities including Ho Chi Minh City, a major consumption area for the items.

Prices have also fallen steeply as a result. Quyet said that the situation could worsen if the three wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City do not reopen soon.