Distorted face because of skyrocketing vegetable prices

The price of vegetables has skyrocketed, 2 or 3 times more expensive than usual, causing many families to complain and have to find ways to make ends meet.

Many types of green vegetables in Ho Chi Minh City have skyrocketing prices - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Tuoi Tre Online 's observations at traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City in recent days show that the prices of most vegetables and fruits continue to increase after the storm, doubling or even tripling compared to two weeks ago when the storms hit consecutively.

Ms. Tran Thi Thuy - a vegetable vendor at Ba Chieu market - said that spice vegetables are the item with the strongest increase.

Green onions sometimes cost up to 90,000 VND/kg, previously only about 30,000 VND; water spinach costs up to 70,000 - 90,000 VND/kg, an unprecedented high.

"Every customer complains, but I also suffer a lot! The price is high so people buy less, many vegetables go bad. Out of 5 bunches I import, 2 go bad," said Ms. Thuy.

She said she was also "restless" because vegetables were too expensive, so she only dared to import a moderate amount, and monitor the situation as she sold.

Meanwhile, Ms. Y Nhi - a vegetable vendor at the same market - also confirmed that the spice group is the type of vegetable that has "increased the most". "The rain has been prolonged, so green onions and dill are easily spoiled, and the supply is limited, so the price has to increase," she said.

Ms. Nhi said that in the past, if customers bought a lot, she would give them a bunch of herbs and some onions and cilantro, but now, according to her, "the prices have increased so much that I'm hesitant to give them more."

At Tan Dinh market, traders said that many types of vegetables are at shockingly high prices, such as bok choy, Chinese cabbage, and Chinese mustard greens, which have increased from 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg to about 40,000 VND/kg, Malabar spinach at 25,000 VND/kg, lettuce from 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg to more than 40,000 VND/kg,...

Many consumers say they are forced to "cut their coat according to their... vegetables" as the price of green vegetables has become too expensive.

Many families manage by asking relatives to send vegetables from the countryside, eating sparingly grown vegetables in styrofoam boxes at home to survive the price "storm".

Many shops in Ho Chi Minh City also said they are having a "headache" with vegetable prices because the purchase price has increased too sharply, even many types cannot be bought, leading to the selling price and quantity having to be balanced appropriately to ensure profit.

The cause is said to be due to the floods in the North damaging vegetable growing areas, while the West is entering the flood season, vegetable gardens are constantly flooded. The sharp decrease in supply has pushed up prices in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Everyone is afraid of high prices, we sellers don't make much profit. Stable prices make it easier to sell, but if prices go up like this... both sides suffer," a vendor at Ba Chieu market shared with Tuoi Tre Online.

NHAT XUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/meo-mat-vi-gia-rau-tang-phi-ma-20251118172002853.htm