During the hot days in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Boi An's family had to work from early morning, hiring more staff to prepare 1,200 bottles of ginseng water to deliver to customers every day.
Morning and night are crowded!
"During the hot season, ginseng water sells very well, so my family has to take advantage of it. My parents wake up early in the morning to get the ingredients, hire someone to help cook, and mobilize other family members to prepare in time. In the evening, there will be 2 more people helping sell the water," said Ms. Boi An (29 years old, living in Binh Tan district, Ho Chi Minh City).
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| Ms. An's family's ginseng juice shop is packed with customers during the hot season, even in the evening (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
Ms. An said that her family has been selling ginseng water at the intersection of Ha Ton Quyen - Nguyen Chi Thanh (District 5) since 1996. The profession has been passed down from her great-grandmother. During the hot, dry months, the ginseng water shop has to operate at full capacity to meet customer demand.
Normally, her family's ginseng water cart can sell 1,000 bottles/day. During the hot season, the number increases to 1,200 bottles/day.
It is known that the ginseng water cart has 6 main types including seaweed, chrysanthemum, 24-flavor sugarcane, bitter water, dried ha thao, sold at prices ranging from 6,000-25,000 VND, depending on the bottle size. The source of customers does not only come from individual buyers, Ms. An's family's ginseng water cart also supplies many familiar customers such as restaurants and pubs nearby.
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| Outdoor workers have to stop at sidewalk cafes to rest (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
During the day, her family has to cook ginseng water for large orders. In the evening, the ginseng water cart mainly sells to walk-in customers, usually opening at 7pm, and selling out in less than 3 hours.
"Customers come and go continuously. Even though my parents have already measured the ginseng water into bottles at home, they still can't keep up. Running around like crazy is tiring but fun, because the shop's revenue depends a lot on these days," said Ms. An.
Ms. Thao (24 years old), the owner of a water shop on Hoang Dieu Street (District 4) said that hot days are when her shop is busiest. Operating from 4am to 2pm every day, her water shop is usually crowded around 10am to 12pm.
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| Ms. Thao's family's beverage stall, which has been open for more than 36 years, is always busy making money during the hot seasons (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
Customers are usually office workers and laborers who work hard in the hot sun. Here, drinks cost from 12,000 to 15,000 VND/cup, of which iced tea is the most popular because of its cooling effect.
"My mother and I usually try to prepare 30 glasses of water at home in advance, so when we get there, we just need to add ice and give it to the customers. At noon, when the sun is at its hottest, customers often come continuously, so if we don't prepare in advance, we won't be able to make it in time," said Ms. Thao.
Living on… the heat
Along streets such as Le Hong Phong (District 5), Ly Thai To (District 10), Nguyen Huu Tho (District 7), Pham Van Dong (Thu Duc City), ... many coconut water and fruit shops are also bustling with buyers.
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| Many refreshment shops "sprouting" close together are all popular (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
At 2 p.m., Ms. Ly (from Bac Giang ), owner of a coconut juice cart on Nguyen Huu Tho Street, hurriedly cleaned up to return home after a day of making a living. Ms. Ly said that thanks to the hot days, she was able to sell all the coconuts and was able to return to her rented room with her children soon.
"On rainy days, I can only sell 20-30 coconuts. On normal days, I sell 40-50, and in hot weather, I sell about 70. I sell each coconut for 10,000 VND, so I only make a small profit. The products sell well, but I mainly make money by working, because there aren't many coconuts this season, and the price I buy from traders is high," Ms. Ly explained.
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| Thanks to the hot season, Ms. Ly sold more coconuts and had more money to raise her children (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
Making a living under the hot sun is also a challenge, sometimes tiring to the point of fainting. But in return, the hot weather increases people's demand for refreshments, helping her earn money to take care of her two young children.
"I've been in the city alone for a long time, and I've only started selling coconut water for a few months now. Luckily, I have a lot of support, I have money to take care of my children, and I can handle any hardship," Ms. Ly laughed.
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| Ms. Ly always wears a mask, jacket, and drinks water to avoid exhaustion and fainting when working outdoors all day (Photo: Nguyen Vy). |
For many days, the heat wave continues to occur widely in the Eastern region and some places in the Western region, but the intensity of the heat wave gradually decreases. The highest temperature from March 22 fluctuates between 35-37 degrees Celsius. The peak heat wave time during the day is concentrated from 12:00 to 16:00.
From March 24, widespread heat waves tend to return, with some areas in the East experiencing severe heat.
According to Dan Tri
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