Rural markets in the early days of the year

Most of the vendors at Van Ban market are from the Tay and Mong ethnic groups.

Although her house is more than 4 km from the market, as if it were a habit, every day around 3 PM, Mrs. Duyen Vi from Trung Tam village, Khanh Yen commune, would be at Van Ban market.

Her stall is small and compact, containing just a few bags of vegetables and wild bamboo shoots, pre-portioned into portions, with prices ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 dong.

Located in a central position, Van Ban Market is a familiar community gathering place, regularly bustling with locals and tourists. Although it doesn't have a fixed market day schedule, Van Ban Market is consistently crowded every afternoon. Each day, hundreds of small traders from villages, hamlets, and even neighboring communes bring their goods to the market. The sight of pairs of carrying poles lined up along the road leading to the commune center has become familiar to anyone who has visited this place.

The market space is divided into two areas: in addition to the permanent stalls, the rural market area with its simple stalls is always the most popular. Here, people mainly sell products that their families grow and make themselves; mostly local agricultural products of the Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups, carrying the colors of local culture in every bunch of vegetables, eggplant, and bundle of bamboo shoots.

Prices at the market are also very reasonable; vendors don't overcharge, with each item only costing a few tens of thousands of dong. Those who arrive first sit first, and those who arrive later find a place to sit neatly, without reserving or competing for seats, creating a harmonious buying and selling atmosphere.

The items sold at the market are mostly products grown and made by the family themselves.

For local people, Van Ban market plays an important role in the consumption of agricultural products, helping them to use up the amount of vegetables and fruits they grow and harvest themselves according to the season, thereby contributing to increased income and maintaining their livelihoods.

For the vendors, the market is not just a place to sell agricultural products, but also a source of daily joy.

The Van Ban market closes around 7 PM and then becomes quite deserted. As the stalls dwindle in customers, the women pack up, carry their baskets, and return home, taking with them a few treats they bought for their grandchildren and children.

The market closed as gently as it began, without noise or haste, leaving a warm feeling in the hearts of those who shopped there.

Van Ban Market has retained its original rustic charm.

Amidst the ever-changing pace of modern life, rural markets still retain their inherent rustic charm. The small stalls and everyday conversations among shoppers contribute to preserving the beauty of the countryside, creating a unique appeal that makes visitors want to slow down, feel, and remember each time they visit.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/cho-que-nhung-ngay-dau-nam-post890857.html