Agricultural products on the shelf at a supermarket. The Ministry of Finance has asked the governments of provinces and cities to enhance price stabilization and management - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC - Due to the complicated Covid-19 situation, the Ministry of Finance has written to the governments of provinces and cities asking them to enhance price stabilization and management following Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai’s directive on price governance in 2021.

The provinces and cities were tasked with monitoring the prices of products and items, mainly essential goods and medical equipment, in the local market to promptly stabilize prices in line with the prevailing regulations.

Besides, the localities should work with the relevant departments and ministries to facilitate goods transportation to avoid a spike in prices due to the shortage of goods or a plunge in farm produce prices because of oversupply and restricted transportation.

The provinces and cities were told to summarize obstacles and difficulties in their price management operations and report them to the Steering Committee for Price Management under the ministry for further guidance.

The ministry also ordered tight control over price declaration and the listing of Covid-19 fighting equipment and essential goods in provinces and cities, mainly localities hit by the disease, the local media reported.

In addition, the competent forces were told to regularly launch inspections into market prices and impose harsh sanctions on those violating price regulations.

The localities were also asked to update information about market prices and publicize prices to minimize the negative impacts caused by the price hike on the market and residents’ daily activities.