Ho Chi Minh City earned US$4 billion from retail sales and services and US$3.87 billion from exports in the first two months of this year.

The figure was released at a meeting on March 3 to review the city’s socio-economic situation in the first two months of 2012 and devise key tasks for the upcoming month.

The city faced a number of difficulties in January and February, including the complicated situation of epidemics and price hikes for some key products such as gas, which affected people’s daily lives. Industrial production value increased by only 1.6 percent compared to the same period last year while State budget revenue declined.

To cope with this difficult situation, the city’s mayor Le Hoang Quan urged districts, precincts, departments and businesses operating in the city to take advantage of all opportunities and remove obstacles for businesses to promote production and consumption. Relevant agencies should strengthen inspections and moblisation of available resources, speed up key projects, implement measures to reduce traffic jams and accidents, and launch campaigns to deal with crime and social evils.

Source: vnagency.com.vn