The Soaring Prices of Groceries: “Empty Shelves as Food Prices Skyrocket”

The consumer goods market for essential items such as food and vegetables in Hanoi’s traditional markets, supermarkets, and convenience stores experienced price fluctuations and shortages after the third storm (Storm Yagi) due to increased demand. In particular, vegetable and root crop prices soared.

Vegetable prices continue to rise daily due to limited supply

According to a survey conducted by VOV Online Newspaper reporters at several traditional markets in Hanoi on September 11, there was a limited variety of leafy vegetables, and most vegetable prices surged compared to the previous week (before Storm Yagi), with some prices tripling compared to usual.

At Chau Long Market in Ba Dinh District, vegetable and root crop prices surged compared to previous days. Water spinach was priced at 20,000-25,000 VND per bunch, up from 12,000-15,000 VND; cabbage increased from 15,000 VND to 25,000 VND per kg; sweet potato leaves rose from 25,000 VND/kg to 50,000-55,000 VND/kg; spoon vegetables climbed from 20,000 VND to 45,000 VND per kg; lettuce increased from 25,000 VND to 45,000-50,000 VND per kg; mồng tơi (a type of green vegetable) rose from 7,000-8,000 VND to 15,000 VND per bunch; amaranth also increased from 6,000-7,000 VND to 17,000-20,000 VND per bunch; and cucumber prices soared from 5,000-8,000 VND/kg to 30,000-35,000 VND/kg.

Local traders attributed the price hikes to limited supply, explaining that vegetable gardens are suffering severe damage due to the storm, making harvesting challenging. Additionally, the transportation of vegetables has been impacted by adverse weather conditions, and many roads are impassable due to flooding and heavy rainfall…

“Usually, after storms, leafy vegetables become more expensive because many vegetable growers suffer total losses, leading to supply shortages. In recent days, I could only procure root crops at the wholesale market, and leafy vegetables were very limited, so I had to buy from multiple sources, including distant locations, where I had to hire people for transportation, resulting in higher vegetable prices than before,” shared Ms. Ha, a long-time wholesale trader at Chau Long Market.

In the Vinh Tuy and 8/3 Market areas in Hai Ba Trung District, many vegetable and food stalls ran out of stock on the evening of September 10 due to panic buying. “I went to the market, but there was hardly anything left to buy. It feels like people are stockpiling more than during the previous storm,” said Ms. Tran Thanh Huyen from Hoang Mai, Hanoi.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan, from Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung District, shared that he took leave from work early to buy food for the next 1-2 days, but the convenience stores and supermarkets in the area had run out of vegetables, meat, and fish. “I went to both large supermarkets and nearby convenience stores but couldn’t find a single intact bunch of vegetables. There was no meat either, except for a few trays of beef that I bought reluctantly,” Mr. Thuan said.

Currently, food prices in traditional markets have not fluctuated significantly. Pork shoulder is priced at 150,000 VND/kg; pork butt is 110,000 VND/kg; pork ribs are 135,000 VND/kg; carp is 80,000 VND/kg; fresh squid is 150,000 VND/kg; and a dozen eggs cost 35,000 VND…, with prices remaining stable compared to previous days.

Meat sellers at Thanh Cong Market shared that the supply of meat has been stable these days, as slaughterhouses maintain procurement from many livestock households, so prices have not been significantly impacted by the storm and weather conditions. Moreover, as people had already stocked up on food before the storm, the consumption of these items has slowed down.

“Pork prices remain unchanged, with only a slight increase before the storm, but now they have returned to normal. The supply at the slaughterhouses is abundant, ensuring a continuous supply of meat to the market, with no price hikes or shortages. These days, it has been raining, so there are fewer buyers, and we usually sell out by late evening,” said Mr. Dinh, a pork seller at Thanh Cong Market.

There have been no changes in the supply and demand or price of staple foods in Hanoi today. Some rice shop owners shared that the number of customers buying rice in small quantities remains typical, and rice prices have been stable, although supply has been slightly affected by transportation challenges during the storm, but prices have not changed. Currently, Bac Huong rice is priced at 20,000 VND/kg; Tam Thai rice at 19,000-20,000 VND/kg; Khang Dan rice at 17,000 VND/kg; and ST 25 rice ranges from 38,000-50,000 VND/kg (depending on the type).

Advising against stockpiling excessive amounts of vegetables

At large supermarkets in Hanoi, such as WinMart, WinMart+, WIN, and Big C Thang Long, the supply of goods has remained stable in recent days due to proactive inventory management and timely supplementary supply plans, especially for essential items like rice, meat, fish, and vegetables…

However, on the evening of September 10, there was a sudden surge in the number of customers purchasing household items, staples, and food for stockpiling. At supermarkets in the My Dinh area, crowds gathered at the fresh food, meat, and vegetable sections, as well as the dried goods aisles, such as instant noodles, rice vermicelli, spices, and paper products. Notably, the fresh food sections, including meat and vegetables, were sold out.

According to a representative of Winmart in My Dinh, the number of customers has increased dramatically since September 7 due to concerns about the storm and the fear of running out of supplies. Therefore, meat products have been consistently selling out. However, to ensure supply, the supermarket has implemented plans to restock continuously and increase the quantity compared to usual.

Currently, the prices of essential goods at supermarkets remain stable: instant noodles range from 240,000-260,000 VND/box; mushrooms vary from 15,000-70,000 VND/pack depending on the type; bottled water costs 80,000-130,000 VND/box; and pork prices range from 120,000-250,000 VND/kg, among others. Additionally, many supermarkets now offer the option to place orders by phone and provide assistance to customers who cannot visit the stores.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, the representative of DK Minimart in Cau Dien, Hanoi, shared that the demand for food has increased significantly in recent days, leading to an increase in staff to ensure adequate service. Additionally, the store is ready to deliver orders to customers who are unable to visit the store due to their busy schedules.

According to information from vegetable and fruit cooperatives in the outskirts of Hanoi, the recent storm caused significant damage to their upcoming harvests. This will greatly affect the supply of vegetables and fruits to Hanoi in the coming days. It is expected that it will take until the end of September for the supply of vegetables and fruits to return to normal levels.