Vegetable prices continue to rise

Vegetable prices show no signs of "cooling down"

These days, in Vinh Xuan vegetable field, Vinh Hung ward - considered the largest "vegetable granary" in Vinh city (old), people are concentrating on making beds, sowing seeds, and taking care of the areas that have just been restored after many consecutive weeks of being affected by natural disasters.

new vegetable crop 2 — Vinh Xuan vegetable growing area, Vinh Hung ward has an area of nearly 9 hectares, the largest in the old Vinh city. Photo: QA

Mr. Ngo Huu Minh, a resident of Vinh Xuan block, took advantage of every hour to take care of more than 2 sao of newly sown mustard greens. He shared: “Vegetable prices are high, the market is in great demand. My family has to work continuously to sell on time, vegetables are scarce so we have to sell all the available quantity. We just hope the weather will be stable so that the new crop can be productive.”

bna_1(2).jpg — Kale is grown the most in Vinh Xuan vegetable area because the harvest time is only 1 week, in time to sell during the peak season with high prices. Photo: QA

According to Mr. Minh, in the past 3 months, almost all vegetable areas in the area were "wiped out", after a few weeks of sowing, they were destroyed by storms. Now that the weather is more favorable, farmers are trying to replant to recover some of the lost costs. In this field, the most prioritized vegetable is mustard greens - a short-term vegetable variety, which can be harvested in just about a week, suitable for bringing to the market early when prices are still high. In addition, many households have also planted winter crops such as kohlrabi, cabbage, squash, pumpkin... to create a long-term supply.

Green vegetables are being consumed strongly after the storm. Photo: QA

In fact, according to records at markets such as Vinh market, wholesale market, Hung Dung market, Vinh University market..., among foods, green vegetables are the type with the strongest price increase during this period. Specifically, water spinach increased from 7,000 VND/bunch to 15,000 VND; Malabar spinach from 10,000 VND to 20,000 VND/bunch; sweet cabbage 40,000 VND/kg, tomatoes from 12,000 VND to 25,000 VND/kg, green onions increased to 40,000 VND/kg, cabbage increased to 30,000 VND/kg... at rural markets, the price of green vegetables also doubled compared to normal days.

Ms. Tran Thi Ha, a trader at Vinh wholesale market, said that vegetables in the province are almost scarce. Vegetable growing areas were heavily flooded after storm No. 10, and long-term vegetables are not available because they have not yet reached the harvest season. We have to import from the southern provinces, while transportation and fuel costs have increased, forcing the selling price to be adjusted.

bna_3(1).jpg — People of Quynh Anh commune harvest green onions. Photo: QA

Quynh Anh commune is considered the "vegetable capital" of Nghe An with about 1,500 hectares, supplying abundant vegetables to the market. Mr. Ho Dang Tam - Director of Quynh Bang General Agricultural Cooperative, Quynh Anh commune said that since storm No. 10, the price of green vegetables has always remained high. People are taking advantage of favorable weather to replant, especially short-term vegetables, hoping to soon have a new crop to bring to the market. For the market to stabilize again, it will take at least 2-3 more weeks for newly planted areas to recover.

Consider food choices

According to research, the high price of green vegetables in recent times comes from many reasons. First of all, prolonged rain and storms have caused severe damage to vegetable areas in the province, causing a sudden decrease in supply. Replanting after the storm takes time. In addition, many retailers have to import goods from other provinces and cities, increasing transportation costs, causing prices to increase. In addition, the end of the year is the season of meetings and summaries, and the demand for food for parties increases sharply. All of these factors combine to cause vegetable prices to continue to remain high and show no signs of cooling down.

green vegetables after the storm — Green vegetables are consumed strongly in markets. Photo: QA

Faced with this situation, consumers these days seem quite hesitant when choosing green vegetables for their daily meals. Many families are forced to adjust their menus, temporarily reduce their purchases of green vegetables and switch to more stable foods. Ms. Pham Thi Tuyet, resident of Truong Vinh ward, said: "Vegetables are too expensive these days, buying a few types costs nearly a hundred thousand, so I have cut down on vegetables, instead I decided to replace them with dried bamboo shoots and foods rich in fiber." Some households with gardens also take advantage of growing their own vegetables to save costs, but this solution only meets a very small part of the demand...

While vegetables in the traditional market fluctuate strongly, the prices of green vegetables in large supermarkets are considered more stable. All vegetable products here are clearly listed, about 20-30% higher than traditional markets. A representative of Lotte Mart Vinh supermarket said: "It is understandable that the prices at the supermarket are higher because the products all have a clear origin, safety inspection standards, go through many stages of processing, and operate cold storage before being sold. However, thanks to proactive supply sources in many localities, we have kept prices stable, not increasing according to the free market."

vegetable 1 — The supply of green vegetables at supermarkets remains stable. Photo: QA

According to experts, the current price of green vegetables is only temporary due to the decrease in supply. When vegetable growing areas recover and enter the new harvest season, the amount of vegetables supplied to the market will increase again, helping consumers easily access vegetables at reasonable prices.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/gia-rau-xanh-tiep-tuc-tang-cao-10312608.html