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Dairy producers continue to milk market
Though many businesses have eased prices following the economic downturn, dairy manufacturers have held out even though the prices of imported dairy materials have fallen by more than a half this year.
The prices of locally made and imported infant formula were higher in Ho Chi Minh City on June 1 compared to the same period last year, with the latter sold at three or four times the prices of local products.
A one kilogram can of Ensure Gold milk powder made by the US’ Abbott costs VND410,900 at CitiMart supermarket. Dumex’s 800-gram Dulax can costs VND312,400, and 400 grams of Dugro Gold 2 cost VND168,000.
Nguyen Van Truong of Binh Thanh District said imported powdered milk is sold in Vietnam at unreasonable prices compared with other countries in the region.
“In Malaysia, Abbott’s milk powder for diabetics cost me around VND110,000. But in Ho Chi Minh City, I have to pay VND200,000 for it.”
Pham Ngoc Chau, Deputy Director of Hancofood Co., agreed that Vietnamese consumers have to pay unfairly high prices for imported dairy products.
Marketing managers at companies producing and distributing foreign brands blamed high marketing and advertizing costs for the rising prices, saying they had held many conferences on nutrition and health.
But some distributors have asked retailers to hold their prices until the end of this year since consumers have begun to reject products with unreasonably high prices.
Health authorities have also instructed consumers in choosing nutritious dairy products at cheaper prices.
VietNamNet, SGGP
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