Peach and kumquat market on the 29th day of Tet: Deep discounts still don't sell well, vendors are practically giving them away.

On the 29th day of the Lunar New Year, many stalls selling peach blossoms and kumquats in the former Vinh City area remained deserted despite signs advertising "clearance sales" and discounts of 50-70%. The intense heat caused the kumquats to wither and the peach blossoms to lose their petals, forcing vendors to accept lower prices, even giving away smaller trees, in order to quickly pack up and return to their hometowns for Tet.

Even at 200,000 VND per tree, kumquat trees are still not attracting many buyers.

On the morning and afternoon of February 16th (the 29th day of the 12th lunar month), along the central streets of the former Vinh City area, many flower and ornamental plant stalls still had hundreds of kumquat trees and peach blossom branches left. On the sidewalks, rows of kumquat trees were lined up closely together, their leaves beginning to turn yellow after nearly half a month of being exposed to the elements. Some pots had scattered fallen fruit at the base, their branches drying out, no longer looking as fresh and green as when they first appeared on the streets.

At the peach blossom collection points, many branches have thinned out. The petals fall in the wind, mingling with the dust and litter. The buying and selling is no longer as bustling as it was a few days ago. Passersby mostly just glance, ask for prices, and then hurry on their way.

The kumquat stalls in front of Vinh Central Park had few customers on the afternoon of the 29th day of the Lunar New Year. Photo: QA

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (residing in Thanh Vinh ward) said that this year her family only bought one small kumquat tree costing over 100,000 VND to "create a festive atmosphere for Tet." "We really liked the beautiful tree, but due to financial difficulties, we only bought a moderate amount, mainly to prepare food for the family," she said.

At a stall in Truong Vinh ward, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, a small trader from Hung Yen who came to Nghe An to sell kumquats, said that this year his family brought nearly 300 trees, but by the morning of the 29th of Tet (Lunar New Year), they had only sold a little over half.

A large quantity of kumquats remains at a stall on Lenin Avenue on the afternoon of the 29th day of the Lunar New Year. Photo: QA

"Business has never been as slow as this year. Prices have been gradually lowered in the past few days, and today we're practically selling them off. Large kumquat trees are now only 100,000 - 200,000 VND/tree, a 50-70% drop compared to the beginning of the season, and yet customers are still scarce," said Mr. Tam.

According to Mr. Tam, the closer it gets to Tet, the more carefully buyers consider their options. Many people choose smaller trees costing only a few tens of thousands of dong, or buy simple peach blossom branches instead of beautifully shaped peach blossoms or kumquat trees.

Many small traders are willing to sell at a loss, even adding a few small potted plants to close deals quickly. "We sell whatever we can, because the longer we keep them, the harder they are to sell," one kumquat seller shared.

Many peach blossom branches are in full bloom. Photo: QA

With costs rising, sellers are accepting the "wholesale" option to get it over with.

Similarly, in the area around Lenin Avenue, Ms. Tran Thi Mui, a small business owner selling Tet apricot blossom trees, said that in previous years, almost all the trees were sold out by the 28th of Tet, but this year there are still quite a lot of trees left.

"Every year, by the 28th, it's almost all sold out. This year, there's still too much left. Now, even if customers offer low prices, I have to sell it, because transporting it back would cost extra shipping," Ms. Mui sighed.

Pots of yellow apricot blossoms are deserted, with no buyers. Photo: QA

According to Ms. Mui, the cost of renting a stall, living expenses for nearly half a month, along with transportation and labor costs, puts a lot of pressure on the vendors. "Now I just hope to sell everything by noon today to recoup some of my capital. Tet is coming soon, and everyone wants to pack up and go home to their families," she said.

Observations show that at some selling points, ornamental plants are being gathered into clusters, waiting for trucks to transport them away. Some small traders had already packed up their goods since the afternoon of the 28th of Tet, accepting wholesale prices or leaving behind small, difficult-to-sell plants.

Clearance sale signs and fixed-price sales signs have been erected along many streets. Photo: QA

Despite it being the last day of the old year, and vendors having lowered prices to rock bottom, purchasing power hasn't increased significantly. Signs advertising "clearance sale" and "all items at the same price" have appeared along many streets, but customers are still few and far between.

Some small traders have stopped selling, abandoning their crops after a disappointing season. Photo: QA

Many small business owners believe that the main reason is the difficult economic situation and the decrease in income for a segment of the population, leading to reduced spending on Tet decorations. Instead of choosing large kumquat trees or elaborately shaped peach blossom trees, many families prefer smaller, more affordable options or reuse trees from the previous year.

The apricot blossom trees were pruned on the last day of the Lunar New Year 2025. Photo: QA

Nevertheless, amidst the sluggish wholesale market, many people are still trying to remain optimistic. "This year is a learning experience. Hopefully, next year the economy will improve, people will have better business opportunities, and the flower and ornamental plant market will become vibrant again," shared Mr. Nguyen Van Tam.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/cho-dao-quat-ngay-29-tet-giam-sau-van-e-tieu-thuong-vua-ban-vua-cho-10324018.html