Gov't provides over 130,000 tons of rice relief for 8.6 million pandemic-hit people

VGP – The Government has agreed with a proposal of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) to provide rice relief of 130,000 tons for pandemic affected people in 24 cities and provinces.

August 20, 2021 10:36 AM GMT+7

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Municipal People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong presents gifts to a residents in Phu Nhuan district

The ministry estimated at over 8.6 million people need emergency food relief due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each beneficiary will get 15 kilos for a month.

Of the total volume, the ministry proposed to provide HCMC, the epicenter of Viet Nam’s fourth wave of coronavirus resurgence with 71,000 tons; Binh Duong 11,325 tons, Dong Thap 5,883 tons, Can Tho 5,015 tons, Binh Thuan 4,018 tons, An Giang 3,362 tons, Dong Nai 3,100 tons.

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi was quoted as saying that another proposal on rice relief will be put foward to the Government next month.

On August 16, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh decided to provide over 4,117 tons of rice from national reserves to support three provinces namely Binh Phuoc, Bac Lieu, and Soc Trang.

Viet Nam was the world’s second largest rice exporter last year at 6.25 million tons. In the first four months this year, the Southeast Asian nation exported US$1.01 billion worth of rice, up 1.2 percent year-on-year./.

By Kim Loan