Quang Ngai's sand reserves are mainly concentrated in the Tra Khuc River.

After winning the auction and completing the required procedures, many businesses requested to cancel the auction results.

For example, Dong Khanh Construction Company Ltd. sent a document requesting to return the Truong Xuan - Tho Loc sand mine, Tinh Ha commune, Son Tinh district to Quang Ngai province after winning the auction.

According to Dong Khanh Construction Company Limited, if the resource tax rate in 2023 is 150,000 VND/m3 of sand, the resource tax that the enterprise must pay is 26.1 billion VND. However, with the tax rate to be implemented according to the new regulations (in 2024) of 230,000 VND/m3, the amount of tax that the enterprise must pay is over 40.1 billion VND, 13.9 billion VND higher than the tax rate to be paid in 2023.

Hop Nhat Investment Development Joint Stock Company also requested to cancel the auction results of the sand mine in Dong My village, Nghia Hiep commune (Tu Nghia district, Quang Ngai province) with an area of ​​about 3.26 hectares; Sao Viet Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company requested to cancel the auction results of 2 sand mines, including a sand mine of about 3.58 hectares in My Hoa village, Nghia My commune (Tu Nghia district) and a sand mine of 5.9 hectares in The Binh village, Nghia Hiep commune.

There is a case where the enterprise that won the auction and was allowed to pay the resource tax in installments each year also thought that paying tax according to the new regulations in 2024 (230,000 VND/m3) was too high, so they requested to pay according to the old price of 2023 (150,000 VND/m3).

Some businesses believe that the resource tax rate applied in 2024 is higher than in 2023, which will increase sand prices, affecting businesses and people.

Quang Ngai Mineral Development Investment Joint Stock Company, owner of Tinh An - Nghia Dung sand mine, Quang Ngai City, said that according to the payment period, the enterprise will pay 50 billion VND for the first time (2023); the remaining 4 times in the following years (2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027), the resource tax must be paid more than 15.9 billion VND/year. And with the resource tax rate applied according to the new regulations in 2024, the amount that the enterprise must pay is more than 24.5 billion VND, an increase of more than 8.5 billion VND compared to 2023, which is too high.

This price increase changes the investment equation of businesses and will increase the price of sand in the market, affecting construction businesses and people.

Regarding this issue, Nguyen Duc Trung, Acting Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ngai province, shared that the tax calculation for sand in particular and other mineral resources, such as soil, stone, etc. in general in the province, must comply with current legal regulations. Specifically, for sand mines that have been successfully auctioned, the owner enterprise (winning bidder) has completed the procedures and paid the resource tax at a certain time of year, the latest tax rate of that time will be applied.

Mr. Trung further explained that if the time when the sand mine owner pays the tax is 2023, the sand resource tax must be implemented according to the regulations of 2023. If paid in 2024, it must be implemented according to the tax calculation regulations of 2024.

Regarding businesses requesting to cancel bidding results and requesting to implement according to the 2023 resource tax calculation price, Vice Chairman of Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee Tran Hoang Tuan also directed units to resolve the issue.

Accordingly, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province does not accept the request of businesses to apply the 2023 resource tax calculation price, but must strictly fulfill financial obligations as announced by the Quang Ngai Provincial Tax Department.

The Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee said that for enterprises requesting to cancel the auction results, the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee allows in principle, but directs the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ngai Province to take the lead in implementing the regulations. At the same time, assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ngai Province to study effective solutions to overcome the situation where enterprises request to cancel the auction results after the auction is over, causing the risk of imbalance in supply and demand of construction materials in the area.