Sugar makers face difficulties

Sugar manufacturers across the country are struggling due to oversupply and a lack of demand that have forced prices down by VND1 million (USD50) to VND1.7 million (USD80.9) per tonne. Sugar cane is gathered for crushing at the Quang Phu Sugar Mill in the central province of Quang Ngai. Oversupply and low demand have left sugar producers in trouble . — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Long A report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Information and Statistics Centre said since the beginning of the year, manufacturers had produced 1.03 million tonnes of sugar, a year-on-year increase of 163,000 tonnes. It also added that the stockpiled volume had soared by 142,200 tonnes year-on-year to nearly 530,000 tonnes. The industry estimated that the country needed to import only 200,000 tonnes of sugar to meet domestic demand. Manufacturers, however, said this would be problematic, because this year's import quota was 250,000 tonnes, based on predictions made at the end of 2010. But with consumption down, pressure is growing on the sugar industry. In March and April, sales reached just 85,000 tonnes and 72,900 tonnes respectively, compared to around 110,000 tonnes per month last year. Moreover, banks have tightened monetary policies, making it harder for companies to take out loans. As a result, 16 out of 38 Vietnamese sugar manufacturers have already halted production, and a further eight are likely to do so by the end of the month. Supply was much higher than demand, and the situation would get worse if more sugar was imported, said Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the Vietnam Sugar and Sugarcane Association. To help manufacturers, the association has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to extend the final date for the quota past December 7 for the remaining tonnage that has not already had contracts signed for it. Credit support was also needed to help manufacturers pay overheads and farmers, the association said. Vietnam tours
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Gas companies fleece their customers

Experts have proposed tightening State management of retail gas prices because domestic prices do not reflect the fall in international prices. The quality and price of gas may come under stricter control Different places, different prices Although contract fees for gas imports have gone down by USD100-120 per tonne, most import companies have switched to spot delivery contracts because the Dung Quat refinery is undergoing maintenance. This has driven up prices by USD60-80 per tonne. As world fuel prices continue to fall, domestic price should have seen a reduction of VND40,000 (USD1.9) per 12 kilo tank, but gas companies have only reduced their prices by VND30,000 (USD1.4) in order to maximise profits. Listed gas prices in Vietnam range from VND340,000-350,000 (USD16.1-16.6) per 12 kilo tank. Gas companies have been making large profits, as their reduction in prices reflect only 50% of the reduction in world prices. Ms. Liem, of Hanoi, said she bought a 12 kilo tank at Petrolimex on June 4 for VND360,000 (USD17.1) even though the listed price was VND340,000 (USD16.1). She was told by an employee that the extra cost was for business expenses, including transport, employee salaries, etc. Another Petrolimex outlet in Cau Giay District listed a different price of VND350,000 (USD16.6) for 12 kilos tanks. Managers at major gas companies refused to make any comment. One unnamed official said, "The prices we give to our dealers is not public information, and is flexible, depending on the situation." Do Trung Thanh, of Saigon Petro's Sales Department, said that the processes and time needed to adjust petroleum and gas prices was not the same. The price of petrol is managed by the Government, while gas prices are regulated by market management agencies. "Common interest among gas companies makes stabilising gas prices a difficult task. When PVN's Dinh Co Company was put into operation several years ago, gas companies held a meeting. The result of that meeting was Dinh Co raising their prices so the other companies could compete," Thanh said. Nguyen Xuan Chien, Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, shared that the ministry would co-operate with the Ministry of Finance to require gas companies to lower their retail price. "Gas prices should be based on the market and comply with Government policies. The Ministry of Finance has the right to apply measures to stabilise gas prices if necessary", Chien suggested. Vietnam tours
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Mysteries of everyday life

Continuing on from my last blog entry about the Vietnamese penchant for telling foreigners they "don't understand Vietnam", I thought I'd turn to my readers to help me make sense of some Vietnamese practices which I freely admit I don't understand at all. These are things I haven't seen outside of Vietnam, but commonly observe here, leaving me wondering, why do they do that? I'm intrigued to know the answers. The first practice is that favourite pastime of Vietnamese youngsters, of setting up modelling sessions in various picturesque locations around town, such as against a rustic-looking wall, or in a flowerbed. Photography is a hobby enjoyed all around the world, so that's not the mystery, and nor is why people would like photos of pretty things. What's unusual to me is that so many young people go out of their way – sometimes even deliberately travelling to faraway scenic destinations - to set up these very staged photo shoots, and pose like models. And sometimes very provocatively too. This practice is pretty much non-existent where I come from, where the only people staging modelling shoots are… models! So I'd like to know, what's done with these photos? Who are they for? Is it to impress the opposite sex? Is the fun in the actual taking of the photos, or in seeing yourself on film afterwards? Why are such pre-planned photos seen as more appealing than a spontaneous happy snap? And most intriguing of all, when did this start happening in Vietnam: was this also a popular pastime before the advent of digital cameras? The next mystery to me occurs in the forests of Vietnam. I've been very lucky to spend a lot of time in many of this country's national parks, hoping to observe local wildlife, but it's the local people who have usually been the most noticeable. Whether I've been in Cat Tien National Park or Ba Vi National Park or Cuc Phuong National Park it's always the same. I'll be quietly and patiently trying to observe a bird or an animal through my binoculars, enjoying the beauty and tranquillity of nature, when I hear "WHOOP!" And again "WHOOOOOOOP! WHOOP! WHOOOP!" No, it's not the call of a rare and endangered bird, it's the call of the Vietnamese tourist, because it seems to be that when Vietnamese people visit a forest, usually in quite a large group, they feel the urge to shout. Repeatedly, and often. And not words, just sounds, or exclamations. Is it because most Vietnamese people are so used to being around constant noise and commotion that the silence of the forest overwhelms them and they want to destroy it? Is it because they're scared of wild animals which might be ahead? Or is it because they're just so excited by being in nature that they want to shout out their happiness? My final puzzling practice also relates to nature. One of my favourite times of year in Hanoi is Tet, when people's homes and offices are decorated with beautifully shaped cumquat trees, and flowering pot-plants are presented as gifts. Yet every year, after Tet is over, I am shocked to see these very same cumquat trees lying in the gutter or in bins. Why are these trees, which are still alive, and can surely be kept alive until Tet next year, treated like a single-use item? Our landlord recently came into our house and was shocked to see that the plant he'd given us at Tet hadn't been thrown away, and was in fact still sitting on our shelf, alive, and ready to flower again, more than six months later. I should add that I'm a terrible gardener, and if this plant could survive in my house, then it's definitely not difficult to look after! In countries that celebrate Christmas, Christmas trees have to be thrown away right after the festive season is over because they're not actually alive. Unlike Tet trees, which are potted, roots and all, Christmas trees are cut off at the trunk and only survive a couple of weeks inside. So is it bad luck to keep the cumquat trees and other plants from one Tet to another? Are they just too impractically large for most people's homes or gardens? Would they grow too big, even if they're trimmed, to be used for another year? Or, are they actually collected from the rubbish and replanted by the orchard growers? One of the greatest things about living in a foreign country is constantly being amazed and baffled by what goes on around you, but still, I'd love to get to the bottom of these Vietnamese mysteries. *** Tabitha Carvan writes the blog The City That Never Sleeps In about expat life in Hanoi. Vietnam tours
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Stone tattoos boom as youth trend

Using stones to make special tattoos has become a fashion for young people in Vietnam. Initially, young people only imitated vajazzling, after seeing models and artists who had used the art in their performance. Vajazzling uses stone to create temporary tattoos particularly for parts of the body on show when wearing short and scanty clothing. Using stones to make special tattoos has become a fashion for young people in Vietnam. Vajazzling takes only a few minutes and young people can easily remove the piece to provide an opportunity for a continuous stream of images. However, these tattoos can be kept for a short time as pieces of stone can easily break. Thu Minh in Binh Thanh District, HCM City, an experienced tattoo aficionado, said, "I'm attempted by these special tattoos. At first, I only made a temporary tattoo, but I thought it was pity that they only last for a short time. So I and some friends decided to stick stones to our bodies to have more long-term tattoos." Kieu Anh in District 3, HCM City, proudly displays her stone tattoo shaping scorpion and hearts on her lower abdomen. She said that many friends of have much more special and sophisticated tattoos. Costly but risky Many artisans who often use Chinese ink to create tattoos have also followed the trend. Nguyen T.H. who is a veteran tattooist for many years said he had created temporary stone tattoos for some people, and now he was studying and learning how to make more long-term stone tattoos to meet customer demand. Making stone tattoos is a very sophisticated process. Firstly, the skin must be cleaned and then artisans use special glue. After that, they carefully create shapes with knives and use pins to stick pieces of stone on. Eagles, butterflies and classical patterns have proved the most popular tattoos. Tattoo prices vary depending on different kinds of stone and shapes, ranging from some millions of VND to tens of millions of VND. Stone tattoos may express an individual's identity but they pose potential dangers. Kieu Anh is a typical case. After a short time having the tattoo, she had to see a dermatologist for medical-check up when the skin around the tattoo began to show rashes, became swollen and full of puss. Nguyen Van Thong, a lecturer from HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities suggested that people wanting tattoos done should always go to well recognised specialists. Doctor Duong Dinh Hung, Vice Chairman of the HCM City Cosmetic Surgery Association, said stone tattoos could cause infection, allergies and have other negative impacts on body. Removing the stones from the body can also be painful and leave scars; particularly in areas with thin skin face high risks of infection. Vietnam tours
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Vietnamese people search for new investment channels

The low yields of traditional investment channels, such as gold, real estate and deposit accounts, have left Vietnamese people looking for a place to keep their money. VND accounts are the surest way to make a return The drop in bank interest rates has posed a big problem for Nguyen Dinh Hoan, of Hanoi. He and his wife, both retired, live on the interest of their pension. They also lease their old apartment for VND4 million (USD190) per month. Hoan said last year he earned VND33 million (USD1,500) per month, when interest rates were around 20%. This year he had to switch to smaller banks to receive an additional 3%. Since interest rates have been lowered to 9% his income has fallen to VND18 million (USD858) per month. "I don't invest in securities. I don't dare to risk my money in real estate market. I intended to invest in gold if the price drops to around VND40 million (USD1,900) per ounce but it keeps rising," Hoan said. In the past, when bank interest rates are reduced people would move their money to gold or foreign currency. But these investments have not been yielding much return. Also, the slump in the real estate market has been keeping potential investors at bay. Minh Phuong, also of Hanoi, planned to use VND800 million (USD38,167) to buy 750 grams gold. "I scrapped the plan because the domestic gold price is VND2 million (USD95) higher than the world price. I also heard that the Government plans implement policies to tighten control over gold trading, which will depress prices. Foreign currencies do not give much return, so i just keep the money in the bank," she said. The securities market has not been faring much better. The volatility that has driven many investors into bankruptcy has been warding off new ones. As a result, many prefer the safer option of long-term deposit accounts. Though the banks can negotiate interest rates with clients for accounts with terms of over 12 months, most banks keep their rates close to 9% and the ceiling at 11%. Still, this appears to many to be the most attractive option. The head of VP Bank said that last week many people changed to long-term deposit accounts because they are more stable than other investments. Meanwhile a representative of Techcombank said that over the last six months individual depositors have been turning their backs on USD. Nguyen Duc Huong, Deputy Head of Lien Viet Post Bank, said VND can earn the most profit with the new interest rate, inflation is expected to be 8-9% and the interest rate for USD to be only 2%. The deputy governor of Sate Bank of Vietnam confirmed that since the interest rate and foreign currencies are expected to be kept stable, VND accounts are the surest way to make a return. Vietnam tours
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A corner of Dong Ba market

Dong Ba market is the preservation of ancient distinctiveness. Tourists in Vietnam travel can see all the typical features of a traditional Vietnamese market, for example, the sampan landing, the bus station and the bazaars. Dong Ba market is considered as a paradise for snapshots of daily activities as well as for shopping with everything from souvenir items to bronze goods, Hue sesame sweetmeat, conical poem hats, just to name a few. You'd better come to explore this market if you want to find interest in Vietnamese culture or food. Image that you are roaming around this food market, you may find your visit to this city to be added with new colors. Around 100 kilometers north of Truong Tien Bridge, Dong Ba Market is situated near the eastern corner of the Citadel, in the north bank of the romantic Perfume River, near the place where the Dong Ba Canal merges with the Perfume River. Visitors joining tours in Vietnam may be confused when they find several things here named "Dong Ba" in Hue city. Actually, Dong Ba is both the name of the largest market in Hue and of a small canal connecting the market with the busy river port of Bao Vinh, Lo Street and Thanh Ha. Dong Ba is also the name of the first steel bridge across the Dong Ba River and Dong Ba Street. The market was originally located outside the citadel's Chanh Dong Gate (also commonly called Dong Ba), where today stands a park at the end of Phan Dang Luu Street. The market was burnt down in the summer of 1885. In 1887, King Dong Khanh had it rebuilt and named it Dong Ba. In 1889, King Thanh Thai had it moved to the current location at the crossroads of the Huong (Perfume) River and the west bank of the Dong Ba Canal. Due to the convenient location, the market has always been very popular. In 1987, the market was under its greatest restoration, in which it was enlarged into a total area of 47,614 m2 with 9 ranges of sales houses, car parking place, motorcycles, bicycles shedding station, and so forth. You are eager for purchasing craft products as Hue's gifts for your dearests and fearest? Well, Dong Ba market is the right place to spend your precious time in this city. Not only being a largest-sized market in the past, Dong Ba market retains its role till now. It has always been providing "stage" for the traditional crafts in Hue, and sells to all those who are fond of; examples are Phu Cam conical hats, Hien Luong scissors, bronze articles of the Duc guild, Phuoc Tich pottery, Bao La rattan and bamboo products, Ke Mon jewelry, Nam Thuan sweets, Tuan tea, Huong Can mandarins, Luong Quan-Nguyet Bieu pomelos, and Tinh Tarn lotus. Besides, for those who are interested in Southeast Asian food, the market supplies a lot during daytime, such as clam rice, beef noodles, shrimp cakes, pancakes, bean puddings, sour shrimps, and My Lai shredded lean meat, which are popular Hue's daily dishes. If you stay here on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, you can share the custom of the locals by buying "five-color" cakes, which are small & square cakes made of bean and rice powder. The name "five-color" derives from the cakes' 5 colors of wrapping papers. When biting the cake, you can feel that it seems to immediately melt in the mouth, which is of uniqueness of Hue's specialty. Hence, it's advised that you try these as much as possible during your time in Hue, or else you will miss them so much after coming back to your country Nowadays, travelers in Vietnam tourism visit Dong Ba Market not only because they can buy myriad goods and local specialties, but because in their hearts it is a symbol of Hue's culture. What was the most delicate material cultural traits of the city can be found here in the local traditional products, like Phu Cam conical hat, Hien Luong scissors, etc., and the mentioned delicious specialties, such as mussel rice, rice noodle with beef, leaf cake, shrimp springroll, khoai cake, dau van pudding, etc. that people could not help tasting Eventhough Hue city has a lot of new markets emerged, and one no longer has to go far for shopping, Dong Ba remains the biggest and most significant market in both Hue and Central Vietnam. Tourists coming here may not be able to get out soon since they are so much absorbed by the interesting Hue's typical goods. Travel to Vietnam
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what is fashion trends Today, Dong Ba Market plays an important role in the field of Hue's economic development. If you are in Hue, Dong Ba Market should not be ignored. It will help you understand more about Vietnamese food or culture in general and Hue's food or culture in particular.
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Vong Canh Hill

With the height of 43m only, the hill is located 7km from Hue centre, with its foot lying next to slowly flowing Perfume River. On the way to Tu Duc Tomb, there's a hill called Vong Canh, which at first seems to be quite normal amongst other famous sightseeing spots of Hue. However, tourists shouldn't miss this spot, for it has been regarded as the best place for visitors in Vietnam tourism to catch a panoramic view of the Perfume River. This can easily be seen from its name: "Vong" means watch, observe; "Canh" means scene. This area is filled up with royal tombs of not only King Tu Duc but also Dong Khanh's, Thieu Tri's and several Queens'. Combined with the complex of royal monuments is Hon Chen Temple, a place that local people worship YA-Na Goddess and Lieu Hanh Goddess on the opposite site, which makes Vong Canh an ideal place for tourists joining tours in Vietnam to picture an ancient but magnificent Hue city. In addition, viewers are often seduced by the villages stretching along the river banks: Huong Ho, Hai Cat, Ngoc Ho, etc. with fruit gardens under the shades of pine trees, corn field, small boats silently skimming and then drawing several lines on the tranquil water surface. From sunrise to sunset, the soft-silk-strip Perfume River charms bystanders by the atmosphere that it brings to the life surrounding. Vong Canh Hill overlooks the marvelous and elaborate modifications of the water colors upon various nuances of sunlight and sky. Vong Canh itself is now covered with pine trees and daisy. Once, there was a purpose-built watching tower on the top of the hill, though only parts of its foundation remain until today. Besides, Water plant Van Nien – which is the oldest in Central Vietnam and an Oriental-styled building designed by a French architecture, just 300m from Vong Canh, is also a visit-worthy destination. If you are making a tour to Vietnam, and are coming to Vong Canh hill, watch the scene only! Maybe, nothing is to be entertaining but for those who are looking for natural beautiful landscapes and quietness, that 's perfect enough. Travel to Vietnam
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