COMMODITY PRICE RISES AS A RESULT OF THE TET OFFENSIVE

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06786615
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 12, 1968

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
ROUTINE
IN 493(43
PAGE . OF, ItPAGES
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THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
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DIST 12 FEBRUARY n968
COUNTAY SOUTh VitTivAM
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DOI JANUARY - 10 FEcinUARY 196is
SUBJECT COMODIT`i PAICE hISES AS A ntSULT OF TI-ti
Tti
(5-1J FEBAUAnY 1966) F1ELJ
THIB IS A COolPILATION OF AVAILAol.c.
ON TI-ft. SUBJLCT
INTtULIGt;;CE.
IT IS NOT FULLY EVALUATtO
SUMAA:,Y: AS A RtSULT OF THE TET OFFENSIVE, Tht P10,; OF
GOM0DiT1-ES ON 5 Ft6hUAR.Y 1968 HAD hISEN AT oa:: 0AnKET IN
r.,
APPHOXIMAT�.LY OUUniLr: THE LEVEL P.kiAILIG Iv; JALJAnY
6 FZ.inliA 196 YHIGON NAnKET AEPORTtj CONSIDEAABLc.
h:ChLA'..0 IN iht. Ptti AT BUT A DAOP IN ThE PAIGE OF ONE-
DAY OLD oRtAU. SIJILAn PRICE hISES41AVE BEEN dtPOnTtO IN SEVEnAL
PROVINCIP1 CAPITALS. THE ntLEASE OF STOCKS OF AIC t AND elEAT BY
THE GOVEn.MENT OF VIETAM IN SAIGON SHOULD Lad Th t ?ICS OF
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THOSE COMMODITIES, BUT THOSE OF OTHEn ITE.�,5 WILL PhOdABLY hEJA1N
AT A HIGH LEVEL UNTIL NOnMAL DISTAIBUTION NETWOnKS CAN 13E
REESTA2Li6hED. t:ND SUNAAr0.
1. THE VIET GONG (VC) TtT OFFENSIVE HAS AFFECTED BOTH THE
AVAILABILITY OF COMODITIES AND ALSO hICES Is SAIGON. Otur
LOCATION WhEHL THESE EFFECTS HAVE BEEN NOTED IS THE TAN DISH
MAnKET IN THE bAKAO bIbTnICT O AIjON. ON 5 Fi3miAra 196b AT
THIS LOCATION, STAPLE FOOD ITt'S WEnE.PLENTIFUL, VEGETAdLEs wEnE
SCARCE, AND PnICES WEnE APPnOXIMATELY DOUBLE THOSE OF JANUAAY
1968. A COMPARISON OF THE PnICES (IN SOUTH VIETAWAMESE PIASThES)
BEFORE AND AFTER TET AT THIS MAnKET (ALONG WITH THE. WEEKLY ECONOJIC
INDICATORS FOR SAIGON AS OF 22 JANUAhY 1968) IS GIVEN IN THE
FOLLOWING TABLE:
COMMODITY WEEKLY ECONOMIC PhICES BEFOnE PnICES OF
INDICATOnS TET 5 FEBnOAnY 1968
EGGS (EACH)
8.5 (DUCK)
8
20
POhK
350 (LA)
350
700
BEEF (KG)
250 (BEEFSTEAK)
0
300
600
CHICKEN (EACH)
260
350
700
RICE (100 KG)
3,400 (NANG-hUONG)
3,500
5,000
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(classificction) (dissem contras
COOKING OIL (20 L) NA
175
250
NU00 MAM (3 L)
15L. (JA.)
151,
264)
SALAD
VEGETAdLES (KG)
NA
1 1
POTATOES (KG)
NA
70
1620
U.6. CIGAnETTES
SALEMS (PAC,)
A A
3z)
1 L.
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COMMODITY PnICEs 3Eiulii TET P,./CESu1 b ;.z.citijf4,%T
PhOK 10,uu
CHICKEN (EA,.:n)
CHINESE CA36AGE
(EACn; ,)5
Al THE SAME MARKET TnE PnICE OF ONE-DAY OLD tinEAD nAu UnOPPE)
FROM VN$100 TO VN$20,,
3. COmMOuITY P!%.10ES nAVE AL s6 INGnEASED OuTSiuE 01- S,4IdUN
AS A RESULT OF THE fET OFFENSIVE, AC,C0dI1k.; TO bCAT1LAL0 -::POnTS.
ON 7 i.trikUAnY FOOD Pr-,13 oILA n0A CHI wE:6E nEPOE,1Eid 10 or..
50 TO 75 PEnCENT A3uVE NUMIAL. IN TAY NINn CITY UN 3 FEonUAnY
411.:
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IN 493148
TOCS 314!063j :68
PAGE 4 OF 4 PAGES
THE PRICES FOR CHICKENs, FISH AND dnEAD WEnE DOUBLE
THOSE PRIOR TO TET, ANJ THE PnICES FOn POnK LOiN AND SPAnE
HAD RISEN ABOUT 50 PchCt.NT. IN PhAN THIET Tht PnICE OF A LOAF
OF 3REAU HAO GONE Ljt IJkiN5L; 6N 5 FEdnUAhY. IN
VIAh LONG .1TY, whiCh I A nICE SUnPLUS AliEA, WhEnE
THE hAhVEST hAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED, THE PnICE OF A LIT En OF
RICE ON 5 FEdnUAra HAD nISEJ TO V4$100 FO M VW$20.
4. THE RISE IN PnICES IS APT TO CONTINUE UNTIL 00nAAL
DISTRIBUTION NETWOnKS CAN BE .1EESTABLISHED. nICE ANL) ilLAT Arc.
IMPOnTANT TO THE VIETNAMESE DIET. ACCOnDING TO THE SAIGON POST
OF 10 FEBRUAnY, The. GOVEnNMENT OF VIETANM (GVN) hAS SET UP FIXED
AND MOBILE suPeLY cr.Nrc.;,b 3ii SAIGON TO DISTnIBuTt 10,600 TONS OF
hICE AND 100 TONS OF r.i\DZEN POnK AND CHIC:iEN. THE PIIICES OF THESE
COMODITILS SHOULD 1.1M:1", oUT T-i PkICL OF Tim AOhE LAFFIGULT TO
OdTAIN ITci, SUCh As FhESh VEGETABLES, .)ILL UNDOU6TEDLY 1,EMA1N
AT A HIGH LEVEL.
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