Can Tho plans logistics centres for air deliveries

Vo Thanh Thong, chairman of the People’s Committee of Can Tho City, made the statement at a meeting with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s delegation in the city last week.
Logistics services for the transport of goods by air are very important for Can Tho and the Mekong Delta region because agricultural produce, especially farming and fishery items, must be fresh if they are to be sold at high prices, he said. Therefore, besides preservation, the moment of transport for these products is very important.
At present, the Can Tho International Airport is connected with Hanoi, Danang, Phu Quoc and Con Dao.
In 2019, the airport will be connected through five new domestic routes to Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Da Lat and Nha Trang as well as two international routes to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Can Tho expects to exploit these routes for the transportation of passengers and cargo, Thong said. 
Municipal authorities are studying proposals from the four investors, Thong said.
He said the projects need support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Transport to ensure efficiency, especially in terms of selecting partners.

Food processing 
At the meeting, Industry and Trade Minister Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the MoIT is holding talks with a Japanese investor on the development of a food processing centre in the Mekong Delta region. An air logistics centre is needed for the project, he added. 
The minister also asked Can Tho to pay more attention to attracting foreign enterprises, especially from South Korea and Japan. 
The MoIT would cooperate with Can Tho in allocating sites for the projects of both local and foreign companies.
In addition, the ministry will seek help from domestic businesses, such as Vietjet and SHB, in promoting the initiative, he said.
This is a bridge connecting businesses with the city and creating value chains relating to market development in Can Tho and the Mekong Delta region, Anh added.