Vedan Vietnam signed August 13 agreements to compensate VND45.7 billion (US$2.4 million) and VND53.6 billion ($2.8 million) to Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau farmers respectively for damage it caused to them by dumpting untreated wastewater into the Thi Vai River.

The Taiwanese MSG producer also agreed to pay each city and province additional VND500 million ($26,300) to cover their cost of inspecting and calculating economic losses suffered by affected farmers.
Vedan will transfer half of the compensation to farmers within one week, and the remainder will be transferred on January 14, 2011 at the latest with a bank guarantee by the HCMC branch of Bangkok Bank.
The bank guarantee for the city farmers must be sent to Nguyen Van Phung, chairman of the HCMC Farmers Association, and the guarantee for Ba Ria-Vung Tai farmers must be sent to the province People’s Committee within one week from August 13, the agreements said.
Mr. Phung said the city’s relative agencies will discuss with affected farmers on a plan to receive the compensation.
The association and relative agencies will oversee the payment of compensation to farmers to ensure that appropriate damages are paid to proper farmers, he added.