The days leading up to Tet, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street (Ha Tinh City) is filled with color as hundreds of vendors come to sell ornamental plants.
However, unlike the bustling buying and selling scene, this year the largest flower market in Ha Tinh is bleak, with low purchasing power even though sellers rate this year’s plants as beautiful and affordable.
Almost a week ago, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy (38 years old, at Luu Vinh Son commune, Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh) brought down 200 peach trees to sell in Ha Tinh city. However, up to now, Ms. Thuy has only sold 2 trees.
“This year, peach trees are considered to bloom at the right time, with bigger and more uniform flowers than last year. However, the number of customers this year seems quite bleak, in previous years we sold 30-40% of the trees at the same time,” said Ms. Thuy.
Similarly to Ms. Thuy, to serve the Tet market this year, Mr. Nguyen Cam (at Ha Huy Tap ward, Ha Tinh city) bought hundreds of peach trees and transported them to the flower market. “The number of customers has dropped even though we have adjusted the price as reasonably as possible. With few customers and many sellers, we feel like sitting on hot coals, everyone is anxious. This year, the price of peach trees is cheap, we hope everyone buys Tet flowers early instead of waiting until the 30th to wait for a discount,” Mr. Cam said with a sigh.
According to VTC News, both sides of Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street are crowded with apricot, peach, and ornamental plants, but the number of customers buying flowers for Tet is still low.
The number of customers buying flowers and ornamental plants for Tet is sparse, while the number of plants is countless.
Not only peach selling areas are deserted, but also areas selling kumquat, apricot…are also empty. Many small traders are facing the risk of losing capital.
Traders sit anxiously waiting for customers.
Midnight, small traders light fires to warm themselves, eat and sleep with the flowers while waiting for customers to visit.
Peach and apricot flowers are blooming, waiting for their owners to welcome the spring.
