The Ministry of Construction recommended to the Government to stop the expansion of Ben Nghe Port in HCM City's District 7 since it did not fit the city's zoning plans and faced other difficulties.

The third phase of the expansion project aims to increase the port's annual loading capacity from 3 million tonnes to 4 million tonnes this year.

DAU TU (VIET NAM INVESTMENT REVIEW)

Carcinogens found in watermelon seeds

The Department of Health in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province has named three HCM City factories as making and distributing in the province watermelon seeds containing Rhodamine B, a cancer-causing substance that is banned for use in food processing.

They are the Thien Luan Food Manufacturing and Trading Ltd Co in Tan Binh District, Hiep Thanh factory in District 11, and Van Lam factory in Tan Phu District.

Earlier this month the province's health inspectors took seed samples from six shops in the province and found all of them positive for Rhodamine B. The infected foods were destroyed but a large volume had already been sold.

THANH NIEN (TOUNG PEOPLE)

Tien Giang exports rise to $29m

Southern Tien Giang Province's exports were worth nearly US$29 million last month, a year-on-year increase of 11 per cent. Seafood exports accounted for more than US$19 million, 26 per cent up from the same period last year. The rest included mostly garments, vegetables, and foods.

LAO DONG (LABOUR)