Planet Retail  9 October 2007

Over the weekend, Dairy Farm opened its first supermarket in Vietnam under the Wellcome banner. The HCM City store is one of six Citimart sites that Dairy Farm acquired from Dong Hung Co last year. The other stores are expected to open soon. According to Benjamin Eng, managing director of Giant South Asia, the local arm of Dairy Farm, the retailer wants to be a leading retailer in Vietnam's emerging market.

By Amy R. Remo
Source: Inquirer (www.inquirer.net)
Last updated 08:59pm (Mla time) 10/07/2007

MANILA, Philippines--AGRICULTURE Secretary Arthur C. Yap has approved guidelines for the implementation of the P200-million Agri-Fishery Microfinance Program, a new financing scheme for farmers.

The Nation, October 6, 2007

The Commerce Ministry will resubmit the proposed Retail Business Act for Cabinet approval on Tuesday, to ensure passage by this government.

By Delmar Cariño
Northern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 05:31pm (Mla time) 10/01/2007

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines -- Home to the country's best potatoes, carrots and cabbages, Benguet nevertheless lags behind in the business of product labeling that could gain more commercial value for its vegetables.

Planet Retail 25 September 2007 

According to reports in the Thai press, citing a National Legislative Assembly member, Lt Jit Siratranont, the draft Retail and Wholesale Business Act is unlikely to be passed by this government, considering the short time left in its mandate. The Commerce Ministry draft received approval from the cabinet in May and it is now being deliberated by the Council of State. In parallel, the National Legislative Assembly introduced its own version, intending to speed up the passage of the bill. However, Lt Jit admitted that neither would become law within this administration as the government is expected to have only four months to work. Thanapon Tangkananan, president of the Thai Retailers Association, said that with or without the retail law, operators of modern retail trade stores would continue to expand their businesses.

Planet Retail 12 September 2007

According to unconfirmed reports in the local press, citing Samie Lim, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Metro is currently evaluating the possibility of a launch of its cash & carry format on the market, "They are conducting due diligence and interviewing people to know exactly the extent of their investments in the country."

By Jennifer A. Ng, Reporter. www.businessmirror.com.ph  

By Delmar Cariño
Northern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 05:15pm (Mla time) 08/02/2007

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines -- The province's vegetable industry leaders are getting worried that the vegetable cold chain facility here has slowly become an ordinary business center for truckers instead of providing market links for farmers' products.

Planet Retail 1 Aug 07

The corporate affairs director of Carrefour Indonesia, Irawan D. Kadarman, yesterday said that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will soon be able to place their goods on the retailer's shelves without having to pay a listing fee, with the retailer agreeing to provide access for SMEs as part of its CSR programme. "We will select SMEs with a regular supply capability to sell products that are in line with the tastes of our customers." Carrefour will only take the margin between the supplier price and the retail price as its profit, according to Mr Irawan, adding that four product categories would be eligible for the programme; grocery, fresh food (vegetables, fish), household equipment and textiles.

By Amy R. Remo
Inquirer
Last updated 04:38am (Mla time) 07/25/2007

Vegetable growers have appealed to the government to stop the imposition of a "road tax" on vegetables being transported to Metro Manila.