Traders travel south to source green bananas and bring them north for sale.
In the practice of feng shui, green bananas represent the wood element, and their clustered growth symbolizes family unity, abundance, and warmth.
However, this year’s supply for the Tet market is scarce due to the severe impact of Storm No. 3 and flooding on banana plantations in the North.
Nguyen Nhan, a farmer from Tu Ky district in Hai Duong province, shared that her family had about one hectare of green bananas for the previous year’s Tet market. Unfortunately, Storm No. 3 caused significant damage to their crop this year, resulting in a total loss for the upcoming holiday season.
Meanwhile, Minh Hoang, a Hanoi-based trader, shared that he had just returned from Dong Nai, the country’s banana hub, with two truckloads of bananas to sell for the upcoming Tet celebrations.
“I bought them directly from the gardens for 25,000-30,000 VND per kg. A bunch of ten bananas typically costs between 250,000 and 300,000 VND,” said Hoang.
Green banana bunches purchased directly from the garden range in price from 300,000 to 500,000 VND.
In Hanoi, many small traders in the markets reported that green banana prices for the New Year are two to four times higher than last year. Well-shaped banana clusters can sell for as much as 200,000-300,000 VND per bunch.
Previously, Nguyen Hong Yen, Head of the Department of Cultivation and Plant Protection in Hoa Binh province, stated that many northern provinces were affected by Storm No. 3, resulting in significant banana crop damage. At the same time, the Chinese market has been absorbing a large amount of the fruit.
As a result, traders have been actively seeking to purchase bananas at high prices. Many gardens are selling their bananas for 500,000 VND, and some traders are even buying entire gardens, locking them up, and tending to the crop themselves to ensure a supply for export to China during Tet.
In the South, Vo Quan Huy, Director of Huy Long An Company in Long An, noted that farmers are benefiting from the high banana prices.
