Spring Fair 2010 opens

HA NOI –Spring Fair 2010 opened its doors to visitors at the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Centre For Agriculture in Ha Noi last week.

The fair aims to meet consumer demand for organic agricultural products and the interior decorations in the lead-up to the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

Coal output reaches 3.5 million

HA NOI –Coal output reached 3.5 million tonnes this month, an increase of 36.5 per cent over the same period last year.

In January, the Viet Nam Coal and Minerals Industries Group's output also reached 1.8 million tonnes, representing an increase of 77 per cent over the same period last year. More than 0.7 million tonnes was sold to electricity companies and 0.37 million tonnes to the cement industry.

Coal exports also reached 1.76 million tonnes in January, an increase of 42 percentage points over the same period last year.

Consumption increases sharply

Ha Noi — Consumption, especially of luxury goods, increased sharply in January in the lead-up to the Tet (Lunar New Year), according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In January, sales of air conditioners reached 22,200 units, an increase of 400 per cent over the previous month.

Sales of other goods also increased strongly, including 115,100 refrigerators, 263,900 televisions and 7,700 domestically produced cars.

Chinese imports value $16 billion

HA NOI — Vietnam imported US$16 billion of goods from China last year, a year-on-year increase of 5 per cent, according to the Viet Nam Trade Information Centre.

In 2009, the trade turnover between two countries was $21.3 billion, accounting for 17 per cent of Viet Nam's total turnover.

New regulations in store for mobile phone rates

Ha Noi — The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) will co-ordinate with the Ministry of Finance to issue a new regulation on mobile service charge calculations in 2010. At this stage, MIC just received proposals from the VNPT and Viettel for floor prices of mobile services.

However, for leading telecom enterprises, they are not allowed to sell products below the production cost.

The calculation for telecom services charge will be based on the general foundation for all the enterprises in one mobile call minute. The final cost management measure will be delivered after gathering ideas from enterprises.

Marriott Hotel under construction in Khanh Hoa

KHANH HOA - Sao Sang Company recently started construction of a Marriott Hotel project in Nha Trang.

The project covered an area of more than 3,600sq.m with a total first-phase investment capital of VND700 (US$39 million). The hotel will have 250 rooms and construction is expected to complete in 2013.

Domestic powdered milk production rises by 41.2%

HA NOI – Viet Nam's milk industry reached a production output of 4,400 tonnes of powdered milk in January, an increase of 41.2 per cent over the same period last year.

Price increases for animal feed and decreases in the output of fresh milk, used in the production of powdered milk, have translated to difficulties for farmers. — VNS