In a recent report to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance suggested that the Ministry of Health ask the Government to add milk products to a list of those whose prices must be controlled.
The Ministry of Finance has worked with the ministries of Health and Industry and Trade on managing the price of milk. It asked the Ministry of Health, as the State office responsible for managing milk quality and standards as well as milk products, to review the prices for these products.
The Ministry of Finance said 17 out of the total of 18 companies producing, distributing and trading milk for children under six years old have already submitted prices for their products to the Price Management Department.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health's national technical standards for milk and nutritional products, currently there are no products described as milk-powder products for children under six on the market. The products are instead described as "additional" or "nutritional" foods and their prices have been not been stabilised under the existing regulations.
The ministry said there were many kinds of nutritional products containing milk for children under six. In Vietnam, the ministry has classified these products, according to international standards, into four groups, include milk powder, nutritional products for children up to one year old, nutritional products considered especially healthy for the same age bracket, and nutritional products for children aged from six months to three years.
According to existing regulations, the price of nutritional products is not controlled by any State offices, so the existing classification of milk products and products containing milk by the Ministry of Health will not create an opportunity for milk producers and traders to frequently hike prices of their products containing milk.
The Ministry of Health also sent a report to the Prime Minister on the high prices of milk products. The reports from the ministries of Health and Finance were issued after the Prime Minister last week asked the two ministries to report on high milk prices on the local market.
Because the price of milk is not controlled by the Government, dairy companies can increase prices at any time. Some milk products were listed at 4-5 USD (80,000-100,000 VND) per unit on customs declaration forms, but later retailed for 400,000-900,000 VND (19-42.5 USD), according to the General Customs Office.
The Pricing Management Department under the Ministry of Finance said the ministry has investigated the price of products containing milk because the product was not under its control.
VNA
