A decree regulating the price of cooking gas, which became effective
earlier this month, has failed to contain chaos on the market in HCM
City.
Earlier this month, following a global gas price
hike, domestic gas-trading companies raised prices by 14,000-15,000 VND
for each 12-kilo cylinder, with prices around 272,000 VND a cylinder.
Many customers in HCM City are paying 275,000 VND for a 12-kilo
cylinder from Sai Gon Petro and VT gas, and 280,000 VND for Total gas.
Gas-trading companies have conceded that they did a poor job of managing sale prices offered by retail agents.
Retail shops are reportedly selling cooking gas at prices higher than that specified by gas companies.
Currently, most gas companies sell products via wholesale agents, who
then sell to other agents and retail shops on the basis of a buy-sell
contract.
This can lead to one business being an agent for different brands of gas.
While gas companies can only manage gas prices at wholesale agents,
retail prices to end-users are decided by agents and retail shops.
Since every gas company has its own policy for their agents, agents
will focus on promoting gas products that offer higher profits.
Le Thi Anh Man, deputy general director of the Sai Gon Petro Gas Co,
said some 650 retail shops had signed contracts to sell gas produced by
her company.
However, the company faces difficulties in price management of these retail agents.
If her company forced retailers to strictly follow the company's
regulations, the agents would shift to another company, she said.
However, several gas agents have even filled cooking gas canisters and
sold fake products, according to gas production companies.
One customer in Go Vap District said she discovered that she had
purchased a fake gas canister as the gas was empty after 18 days of use
instead of one month.
Late last month, police discovered
many gas cylinders with a weight much lower than that listed on the
cylinder at Tin Nghia II gas establishment in the southern province
of Binh Duong .
The country has more than 80 gas-trading
companies, but only 60 of them have a registered trademark for their
empty gas cylinders.
Local task forces said fake gas accounts for 30 per cent of the total gas volume being marketed in Vietnam .
To avoid buying fake gas cylinders, customers must examine canisters to
see if they are lighter than normal, have unclear logos or an
inconsistent colour on the seal, according to the Market Management
Department of HCM City./.
