Processing pork products at Vinh Anh Food Technology Joint Stock Company, Thuong Tin district (Hanoi). According to Anova Feed Joint Stock Company, on May 24, in the North, the price of live pigs in the whole region ranged from 64,000 to 71,000 VND/kg. In the central region, also recorded from 67,000 to 72,000 VND/kg. In the South, the transaction remained in the range of 67,000 – 69,000 VND/kg. A pig farm owner in Thanh Ba – Phu Tho said that the price of live pigs in the area tends to decrease, currently at about 69,000 VND/kg for grade 1 pigs. If pigs are raised by the people themselves, the price is only from 64,000 to 64,000 VND. 66,000 VND/kg and commented that hog prices may continue to go down due to the slow consumption situation due to the COVID-19 epidemic. While the price of live hog tends to decrease sharply, the price of meat on the market in Hanoi is still quite high. According to the owner of a pork shop in the market in Yen Hoa ward, Cau Giay, Hanoi, the price of delicious pork is currently ranging from 130,000 to 150,000 VND/kg. Specifically, the price of delicious ribs is 150,000 VND / kg, lean shoulder meat is from 140,000 -150,000 VND / kg, pork butt is 130,000 VND / kg, pork leg meat is 140,000 VND / kg… last month. At the supermarket, the price of pork has decreased but is still at a high level of 116,000 – 155,000 VND/kg, even young ribs are still at 200,000 VND/kg. Specifically, lean butt meat is 120,000 VND/kg, lean thigh is 142,000 VND/kg, shoulder lean is 155,000 VND/kg, lean ground is 149,000 VND/kg, shoulder is 116,000 VND/kg…

In many supermarkets, convenience stores, wholesale and retail markets, pork, beef and chicken of all kinds are defrosted for retail, in which, there are products that are discolored and metamorphosed right on the counters and stalls. See defrosted meat as cool, fresh meat In previous years, imported frozen meat was often preferred by collective kitchens (schools, factories, restaurants) because the price is much cheaper than fresh meat (hot meat) in the country and the price advantage when buying the whole box (per barrel) cartons are usually from 18-25kg). But now, imported meat is defrosted and retailed by stall owners in markets, shops and supermarkets. Bach Hoa Xanh convenience store on Vo Thanh Trang street, Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City sells a lot of lean pork chips, pork ribs, and imported beef thighs. All meats here have been defrosted, chopped, and sold as cool or fresh meats. According to some customers, they buy this type of product because it is cheap and easy to process. Some customers don’t even know it’s defrosted meat. “All meat imported here is frozen meat that has been defrosted and has the same quality as chilled meats,” the store employee said. Many types of defrosted meat sold on the side of the wholesale market for agricultural products and food in Hoc Mon began to change color, but consumers still flocked to buy it due to the low price. At the Tops Market supermarket on Au Co Street, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, the amount of beef imported from the US and Australia is quite large, overwhelming domestic beef. Meat is divided into many types such as ribs, pork belly, shoulder loin, corn, neck core meat, lean thigh, lean shoulder, flower corn… All are cut into all sizes (1-2cm thick slices, thin slices, slices). square, wrap enoki mushrooms…) and then put in a plastic tray with a weight of 300-400g, which is very suitable for the retail needs of most customers. It is not easy to recognize that this is defrosted meat because the small stamps on the surface of the tray only show the words “American beef shoulder”, “Australian beef shoulder”… With thick cuts of meat, still fine. Ice crystals between the fibers are easier to see, but with thin slices, the ice crystals disappear, they look like cool meat. Meanwhile, at the counter, there is no information that this is defrosted meat. Some meats have a promotional label, which has a three-day shelf life. According to staff, this supermarket often has promotions and discounts directly on products; all promotional meat is fresh meat, not old meat like in other supermarkets (?). At Big C supermarket on Truong Chinh Street, Tan Phu District, in addition to imported beef and pork, there are also whole chickens, garlic thighs, and imported chicken thighs. All kinds of pork and beef are also chopped, blistered, and sold in the freezer. Particularly, the types of chicken are defrosted and sold as fresh chicken in the country. At this area, there is a sign warning consumers: “Product has been defrosted, please do not re-freeze”. At Lotte Mart supermarket, imported beef has been sliced, packed, and defrosted, but the packaging says “fresh beef”. Not selling all, re-freezing again If supermarkets and shops bring thawed meat to sell as cool meat, in markets, thawed meat is sold as fresh meat. Even at the end of the day, if not sold out, the stall owner will re-freeze the meat to sell the next day. At a beef stall in Ba Hoa market, Tan Binh district, at 6am, all beef tendons in the tray were still a bit cold, some pieces of meat were still mixed with ice crystals. According to our observations, during the lunch break, this unsold meat continued to be re-frozen and then displayed on a tray for further sale at 15:00. “In the morning, this beef tendon costs 150,000 VND / kg, but in the afternoon, the price is about 120,000-130,000 VND / kg. Meat that is not sold out must be re-frozen for preservation. It’s the same everywhere, not just here,” said the stall owner. In markets, it is not difficult to recognize frozen beef and buffalo meat that is thawed and sold as fresh meat. Imported goods are mainly packed in boxes according to categories such as thigh, loin, and neck meat, while most stalls also sell these types. These defrosted meats often darken very quickly when sold at room temperature, especially on hot days. Previously, the Veterinary Department of Ho Chi Minh City had exposed cases of defrosting meat and then dipping it into fresh beef blood to deceive consumers. Route 4 on the side of Hoc Mon wholesale market for agricultural products and food is the gathering place for dozens of frozen pork trucks. This is also a place to sell defrosted and re-frozen pork on a fairly large scale. Here, there are more than a dozen stainless steel tables set up next to refrigerated trucks for small traders to display meat for sale. Meat is exposed, uncovered, under the table only temporarily lined with cardboard or plastic bags. Meat juice from the table dripped to the ground, pooled in puddles, and smelled foul. These “stalls” sell all kinds of pork such as tenderloin, cutlet, young ribs, bacon, lean shoulder, thigh, ham, hoof, and offal. Because everything is frozen, when it’s on the table, it’s a bit cold. The prices of these meats are half as cheap as hot meat in the wholesale market of agricultural products and food in Hoc Mon: pork leg and pork belly at 55,000 VND/kg; Young ribs, pork heart cost 65,000 VND/kg. According to our observations, most customers come here to buy wholesale, at least 5kg or more, in and out continuously. Vendors also use their bare hands to pick up meat for customers, with only a few wearing gloves. A seller here said that the customers who come to buy are mainly people from restaurants and collective kitchens, they take a lot of money due to the cheap price, but the delicious meat is not inferior to fresh meat because it is preserved by refrigerated trucks. specialized. However, it was only around 7am, the sun was still not shining, the meat in some stalls had stopped freezing, started to turn a little pale, not pink, and lost its elasticity when pressed. This amount of meat is put in plastic bags by the owners of the stalls and brought to the refrigerated truck to be re-frozen, wait a few hours or the next day for sale. This happens from early morning to late evening. According to regulations, to sell frozen meat, small traders in the wholesale market of agricultural products and food in Hoc Mon must register; If you do not register, you will be severely fined. Meanwhile, the “field stalls” on the side of this market sell defrosted meat without knowing if it has an expiration date or is marinated with any preservatives. (According to Women in HCMC)

The profession of making haphazard gear in Xuan Lap commune (Tho Xuan). Referring to the “craft land” Tho Xuan, the traditional profession of making haphazard gears in Trung Lap village, Xuan Lap commune cannot help but mention it. According to local people, in the past, this kind of cake was only made on the full moon day, the death anniversary, the Lunar New Year; However, up to now, harrowing gear is made all year round to serve the needs of consumers and has become a traditional profession that brings stable income for local people. Visiting Do Viet Chung’s family’s haphazard leaf gear making facility, we witnessed the enthusiastic working atmosphere of bakers. The hands of cleverly mixing flour and leaf folding seem simple, but it requires meticulousness in each stage and the secret to create delicious cakes. Mr. Chung said: The rice used to make the cake is a grainy, shiny, fragrant 13/2 rice cultivated by the people of Xuan Lap commune, then soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours and then ground into powdered water. so that the dough is soft and smooth. Next, draining the dough is very important because it requires workers to know how to mix the amount of water in the flour and the amount of salt just right. After mixing the water, go to the kitchen to let the fire burn down, the workers must always stir, so that the dough does not clump, so on until the dough is flexible enough. The leaves for wrapping the haphazard gear are usually fresh banana leaves, neither too young nor too old; Cut banana leaves, wash them, poke all the spine, heat to increase the flexibility of the leaves, cut each leaf to wrap a cake, then wipe clean. The filling consists of minced lean pork shoulder mixed with dried onions, carpentry and seasoning with spices such as pepper, moderate white salt, then sautéed to make the kernel rich and delicious. After completing the preparation stages, the cake will be wrapped. Add a sufficient amount of flour to the banana leaf and place the cake in the middle. Spreading along banana leaves and rolled up, turning the cake gently to make the cake evenly round … Currently, Mr. Chung’s family business sells more than 20,000 cakes per month, earning more than 40 million VND / month . It is known that Xuan Lap commune currently has 240 households producing and trading in harrowing gear; each year supply to the market about 12 million cakes, turnover more than 20 billion / year; create jobs for more than 300 workers, with an average income from 3 to 3.5 million / person / month. Recently, Xuan Lap coarse gear product has been certified by the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee at provincial level 3. In addition to the profession of making harrows, the commune maintains and develops the traditional carpentry profession with products with diverse models; People have boldly invested in scientific and technical applications, purchased modern machines for production and the whole commune has about 50 households participating in production, with turnover from 30 to 50 billion VND / year. A representative of the commune People’s Committee said: In order to sustainably develop traditional occupations, in the coming time, the commune will actively support people to expand and develop in scale and application of scientific and technical advances. into production in order to increase the value of the product to meet the increasingly high demand of the market. To attach importance to activities of supporting vocational training, vocational transmission, skill improvement and job development, which are linked between vocational training institutions and enterprises; vocational training and vocational training establishments; invite specialists in vocational training, vocational training, skills improvement and new job development. Besides, encourage the establishment of cooperatives and cooperative groups in craft villages; mobilize capital sources to promote the application of technical advances and mechanization of a number of production stages; continue preserving and developing occupations that are active and capable of developing; research to introduce a number of new professions and products with advantages in raw materials and consumption markets.