HCM City (VNA) - The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has taken many measures to combat theCOVID-19 epidemic and is determined to achieve the highest possiblesocio-economic indicators, according to the municipal People’s Committee.

In July, the city’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) increased by anestimated 0.24 percent, retail sales and services by 2.19 percent and exportsby 3.06 percent, while the consumer price index (CPI) was up by just 0.64 percent,it said.

But it admitted that most development indexes declined significantly during theperiod. The number of visitors fell by 70 percent and the number staying formore than one night decreased by 68 percent.

The agricultural sector too faces many difficulties due to the pandemic, NguyenTan Nhon, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, said, explaining demand for some key items such as fruits andPangasius was down.

Inventories held by seafood processing companies remain large, causing pricesto fall sharply.

Businesses have petitioned city authorities to provide funding for thoseimpacted by COVID-19, develop infrastructure for tourism development and pushadministrative reforms.

Pham Thai Binh, general director of Trung An Hi-tech Agriculture Joint StockCompany, said the city should urge banks to offer lower loan interest rates tobusinesses in priority sectors as instructed by the Government and the State Bankof Vietnam.

Nguyen Thuc Hien, Director of the city's Department of Planning and Investment,said the department would help the city gain access to credit packages to aidbusinesses, extend deadlines for taxes, fees, land rents, and social insurancepayments and carry out demand stimulation programmes.

Le Quang Manh, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said there would alsobe promotional policies to stimulate tourism, especially foreign tourism wheninternational flights are allowed in future, and policies to connect producersand consumers of agriculture products./.