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Southern seafood companies struggle to keep workers on-site

Southern seafood companies struggle to keep workers on-site

Workers process fish at a seafood company - PHOTO: TRUNG CHANH

CAN THO - Many seafood processing companies in the South are facing difficulties keeping their workers on-site amid the Covid-19 outbreak as required by the authorities, according to Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

To maintain production, the enterprises are required to provide meals and accommodation at the factories for their workers.

Hoe said only 30% of southern seafood processing companies can meet this requirement. The remaining 70% have been forced to shut down.

Even companies that remain operational can only mobilize 30-50% of their workforce to meet social distancing requirements.

These strict measures have made the average production of seafood processing companies fall 40-50%.

Besides, their production costs have surged drastically as they have to pay Covid-19 testing fees every week and provide meals and utilities at the factories for their workers.

Truong Thi Le Khanh, chairwoman of the board of directors of the Van Duc Tien Giang Food Export Company Limited, said the company has spent dozens of billions of dong to keep the workers on site.

To help address these issues, VASEP suggested the Government prioritize the Covid-19 vaccines for factory workers.

The association also proposed that manufacturing companies should be allowed to test their workers for Covid-19 twice a month and send the samples to the health authorities to reduce Covid-19 testing costs.

Besides, manufacturing workers should be entitled to loans at lower interest rates and a 30% reduction in electricity bills at least until the end of this year.

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