Attending the conference were Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee; along with leaders of departments, agencies and representatives of many export enterprises in the area.

According to the report by the Department of Industry and Trade of Can Tho City, the export turnover of goods to the United States in 2024 reached 192.28 million USD, accounting for 11% of the city's total export turnover. Major export items include: rice, seafood, agricultural products and processed agricultural products, garments, handicrafts, steel and steel products. Currently, the city has 28 enterprises exporting to this market.

Specifically, rice export reached 13.56 million USD (accounting for 2.48%) with 6 participating enterprises; seafood reached 95.24 million USD (accounting for 16.37%) with 14 enterprises; agricultural products and processed products reached 5.3 million USD (accounting for 3.25%) with 1 enterprise; garment reached 65.81 million USD (accounting for 39.40%) with 5 enterprises; steel and steel products reached 2.96 million USD (accounting for 7.32%) with 1 enterprise; handicrafts reached 9.32 million USD with 1 enterprise.

Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, spoke at the conference.

However, with the new reciprocal tax policy from the United States, including a 46% tax rate applied to a number of product groups, many export enterprises in Can Tho are facing serious difficulties. Among them, the garment and seafood industries - the two main export groups - are strongly affected by the loss of competitive advantage in terms of prices compared to countries that are not subject to tariffs or lower taxes.

At the conference, businesses proposed that the City People's Committee recommend the Government to have practical support policies for heavily affected industries, especially garment and seafood.  Businesses also want to be supported to reduce land rental fees and wastewater treatment costs; promote trade promotion, expand export markets and domestic consumption markets; at the same time, have specific policies to help businesses stabilize production, ensure jobs and income for workers.

Representative of the enterprise spoke at the conference.

Concluding the conference, Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, highly appreciated the efforts, creativity and flexibility of businesses in responding to the current difficult situation. Mr. Hien emphasized that in order to achieve the 2025 economic growth target of 10.5 - 11%, the city needs to focus on synchronously implementing many solutions, including timely solving difficulties and obstacles for businesses.

The Permanent Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee assigned the Department of Industry and Trade to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to urgently synthesize business opinions to advise the City People's Committee to propose to the Central Government; at the same time, consider and propose support policies on land rental prices and environmental costs to create favorable conditions for businesses to recover and develop.

In addition, Mr. Duong Tan Hien also asked local agencies to continue promoting administrative procedure reform; tighten the traceability of goods to enhace the prestige and competitiveness of products in the international market. Enterprises need to improve management capacity, optimize production costs, promptly update market information, be proactive in forecasting and prepare flexible adaptation plans in the new context.