The banana leaf market in Ho Chi Minh City remains sluggish even on the peak Tet holiday season: "At this time every year, 4-5 sellers couldn't keep up with demand."

It's already the 24th of the twelfth lunar month – the busiest time of the banana leaf selling season – but the Ong Ta intersection market (Ho Chi Minh City) is still quite deserted. Despite the beautiful leaves and stable prices, many vendors admit that purchasing power has decreased significantly compared to before.

Báo Thanh niên•11/02/2026

Along Cach Mang Thang Tam Street , stalls selling banana leaves have already displayed leaves, string, and molds for wrapping the cakes. The leaves are considered beautiful, large, and dark green; priced at 40,000-150,000 VND per bundle of 50 leaves, depending on the type. String costs 10,000-20,000 VND per bundle, and molds cost 20,000-60,000 VND each.

Despite stable prices and seemingly affordable prices, the number of customers was still lower than in previous years by the 24th day of the 12th lunar month . Many long-time vendors said that purchasing power has been declining year after year. Stall owner Ms. Hoang Thi Dong said that in previous years, this period was usually very busy, requiring 4-5 people to cut the leaves and still not be able to keep up, but this year, customers are buying slowly. She attributed this to the difficult economic situation , even though banana leaves are not expensive and every household needs them. Her customers are mainly wholesalers and bakeries who buy in bulk and then resell.

The banana leaf market in Ho Chi Minh City remains sluggish even on the peak Tet holiday season: "At this time every year, 4-5 sellers couldn't keep up with demand."

The number of visitors this year is only about 60% of last year's.

Several other vendors believe that the supply of leaves this year is scarce due to storms and floods, while fewer people are making the cakes, making it difficult to sell. Ms. Ngo Thi Hoa said that customer purchases have dropped sharply, from about 1,000 leaves to less than 500; her sales have also decreased from about 1,000 to 400, but she still can't sell them, and waiting for customers is a common sight.

The number of visitors this year is only about 60% of last year's.

Small traders say that the quality of banana leaves this year is good.

Although many vendors consider the leaves this year to be more beautiful, demand is not commensurate and mainly comes from bakeries or wholesale distributors. Small traders believe that the habit of making mooncakes at home is declining, with many people switching to buying ready-made mooncakes for convenience.

The season for selling banana leaves usually only lasts a few days: vendors start setting up their stalls around the 20th of the 12th lunar month, peaking between the 23rd and 25th, then declining rapidly; according to experienced vendors, by around the 27th of the 12th lunar month, almost no one is making new banana leaves anymore, so the market gradually becomes deserted. On the evening of the 27th of the 12th lunar month, many stalls have cleared out all their stock, and the leftover leaves are usually gathered and thrown away.