As many trucks are stranded at the borders with China, Vietnamese businesses are switching to shipping. They are, however, facing difficulties due to the shortage of refrigerated containers and higher prices.
Nguyen Khac Huy, director of Hoang Phat Fruit Company, said: "There is a serious shortage of refrigerated shipping containers. Many enterprises have to buy back refrigerated containers from other businesses, so their prices double, even treble or quadruple against the actual prices.”
Huy noted actual prices of a 20-foot refrigerated container range from VND4 million (nearly $174) to VND8 million. The current freight for transporting a refrigerated container has surged to VND200 million from the previous VND30-40 million.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam proposed the south central province of Binh Thuan and the two southern provinces of Tien Giang and Long An negotiate with the Logistics Association of HCMC about assisting export of agricultural products.
Source: e.vnexpress.net