Regarding the deployment of E10 gasoline, on the afternoon of July 23, at a press conference on the socio-economic situation in the area, Mr. Nguyen Khac Hieu - Deputy Head of the Energy Management Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, said that currently Ho Chi Minh City has 1,176 gasoline and oil stores, 65 distribution traders, 12 wholesale traders and 2 manufacturing enterprises. On average, the city consumes about 13,000 tons of gasoline and oil per day, which is the largest consumption market in the country.
Since March, when the world gasoline and oil market fluctuated sharply due to the impact of geopolitical factors, especially tensions between the US and Iran, the Department of Industry and Trade has continuously directed market management forces to strengthen supervision of retail store operations. All reflections and petitions from people are accessed and processed by functional forces within 1-2 hours to overcome immediately on the spot.
Thanks to that, from March to now, in the city, there has been almost no situation of stores closing or stopping sales due to lack of gasoline and oil. "Regarding the implementation of E10 bio-gasoline on June 1st to now, after nearly two months of implementation, the Department has not recorded any cases of stores lacking gasoline for sale, nor has it received any feedback from people about not being able to buy E10 gasoline or the quality of this fuel" - Mr. Nguyen Khac Hieu said.
Regarding the difficulties of the distribution system in the past time, the Department of Industry and Trade recorded that some retail stores faced pressure due to fluctuating world gasoline and oil prices continuously increasing and decreasing. At times, the discount rate for retail stores was 0 or very low, causing many business stores to suffer losses. However, according to regulations, stores are not allowed to close arbitrarily, if violated, they will be handled.
To remove this obstacle, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is finalizing a draft new decree on gasoline and oil business. According to the plan, tomorrow (July 24), the Ministry will hold a meeting with localities and businesses to collect final opinions before promulgation.
A noteworthy new point of the draft is to put the gasoline and oil market into operation according to a market mechanism. Accordingly, key enterprises will be allowed to decide selling prices based on the price-forming factors specified in the decree, instead of waiting for the periodic management period as at present. The State will regulate the market mainly through the price stabilization fund and tax policy.
In addition, Mr. Do Vu Khoa - Deputy Head of the Sub-Department of Measurement and Quality (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology) said that during the inspection and supervision of E10 gasoline quality, in case E10 gasoline is found not meeting technical standards or showing signs of mixing incorrectly, the inspection team will announce the inspection decision; collect and review relevant dossiers and data; make inspection records, administrative violation records and handle according to Decree 37.
Cases of violations of gasoline and oil quality will be sanctioned according to Decree 119/2017/ND-CP, amended and supplemented in Decree 126/2021/ND-CP.
The list of violating organizations and individuals will be publicized on the national database of standards, measurements, quality and mass media to warn and protect consumer rights.
