Mr. Pham Anh Tuan – Deputy Minister of Information and Communications – stated that the printing industry is facing numerous challenges but is expected to develop strongly in the near future.

On the morning of March 22nd, the Ministry of Information and Communications held a Conference to Summarize the Printing Industry in 2021, outlining directions and tasks for 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the report on the results of the printing industry in 2021, Mr. Nguyen Nguyen – Director of the Publishing, Printing, and Distribution Department (Ministry of Information and Communications), stated that 2021 continued to be a challenging year for the economy in general and the printing industry in Vietnam in particular, amidst the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Especially in the last 6 months of the year, the prolonged and complex evolution of the pandemic significantly affected businesses. Many printing industry units faced shortages of raw materials for production, with the main supply of materials such as paper increasing by 40-60%, while logistics and sea freight costs increased by 50-80%.

Businesses are simultaneously combating the pandemic and maintaining production, leading to increased costs. Disruptions in the supply chain of input materials and disruptions in the consumption chain of products have occurred in many units, especially those operating in the southern region.

However, in 2021, the printing industry also had many bright spots, especially in maintaining a stable printing infrastructure network. Printing output reached nearly 90% of the plan. The number of printing facilities continued to increase, with a focus in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and provinces in the Red River Delta.

Speaking about the tasks and directions of the printing industry in the coming time, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Anh Tuan stated that there are four issues that need significant improvement to further strengthen the industry, including institutional reform, market development, human resources, and digital transformation.

Regarding institutional reform, regulations are being supplemented and amended (Decree 60, Decree 25, and Decision 18). In the coming time, the Ministry of Information and Communications will intensify efforts to remove obstacles and difficulties for units in the industry.

Regarding market issues, Deputy Minister Pham Anh Tuan believes that domestic units still have many limitations compared to foreign enterprises in the manufacturing sector for export.

“Our businesses still have some shortcomings and are somewhat ‘left out’ in their own market, especially when it comes to large orders, which are mostly dominated by foreign-invested enterprises,” Mr. Tuan said.

Regarding human resources, the leadership of the Ministry of Information and Communications emphasizes the importance of focusing on human factors alongside machinery and modern infrastructure. Digital transformation needs to be accelerated to keep up with major printing markets in the region.

“We need to be more specific in each task to ensure thorough implementation. If we can change and overcome these factors, the development of the printing industry will be even more extensive,” Deputy Minister Pham Anh Tuan emphasized.

Source: https://zingnews.vn/