In the context of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic with complex developments, the General Department of State Reserve, in coordination with ministries and agencies, urgently implemented the delivery of national reserve goods to relief and aid, especially through reduction and shortening of stages and procedures, the units delivered goods to frontline units in service of pandemic prevention and helped people to stabilise their lives.

Already delivering goods and providing to more than 62,000 tonnes of rice
in order to serve for Covid-19 pandemic prevention, natural disaster prevention
and famine relief for local people, for students living in poor areas, afforestation
projects and aid for Cuban people. Source: Internet

According to Le Van Thoi - Deputy Director of the General Department of State Reserve, in the first six months of 2020, ministries and sectors managing the national reserve goods delivered and provided national reserve goods with a total value of approximately VND 1,013.5 billion.

The Ministry of Finance promptly delivered and provided rice, equipment and materials for rescue and salvage in service of Covid-19 pandemic prevention, natural disaster prevention and famine relief for local people, for students living in poor areas, afforestation projects and aid for Cuban people (delivering goods and providing to more than 62,000 tonnes of rice, 2,600 sets of canvas tent, 78 high-speed boats, 103 fire fighting water pumps, 46 generators and 35 drilling machines) with a total value of about VND 780 billion.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development conducted the delivery of goods of all kinds of vaccines, antiseptic chemicals and plant seeds to localities to prevent epidemics of plants and animals and overcome the consequences of natural disasters with the value of more than VND 117 billion.

The Ministry of Health has delivered 10 tonnes of Chloramin B and 3 million tablets of Aquatabs water disinfectant 67mg for units and localities to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic, worth more than VND 3.5 billion.

The Ministry of National Defence promptly provided equipment, machinery and equipment for pandemic prevention and control worth VND 113 billion.

Besides that, for the work of receiving national reserve goods, Thoi said in 2020, the General Department of State Reserve was assigned by the Prime Minister to increase national food reserves of 190,000 tonnes of rice and 80,000 tonnes of paddy.

As of July 10, 2020, the General Department of State Reserve purchased and stored 158,880 tonnes of rice (reaching 83.5% of the plan) and 60,200 tonnes of rice (reaching 75% of the plan). It was expected that by August 15, 2020, it would complete all of the food import plan.

In the future, the General Department of State Reserve will continue to coordinate with the ministries and sectors managing national reserve goods to continue building mechanisms and policies on national reserves, focusing on reviewing the list of national reserve goods to promptly supplement the necessary lists for securing national reserve objectives.

In particular, the entire reserve sector will coordinate with the ministries, sectors and localities to submit to competent authorities for issuing decisions on the issue of national reserve goods for support and relief to localities affected by natural disasters and storms, flood, drought, crop failure, disease control, ensuring security and national defence.