Consumers are dizzy because vegetable and fruit prices continue to increase sharply

At some traditional markets in the central area of the province, vegetable prices have continuously increased sharply, with some types doubling or tripling compared to the previous month. The unusual price movements have caused many households to have difficulty in daily spending, while small traders are "restless" because of the obvious decrease in purchasing power.

At the Green Market in Thuc Phan Ward, cabbage, a popular and affordable food, is sold for 18,000 - 20,000 VND/bunch, instead of 5,000 - 8,000 VND as before. Water spinach increased from 5,000 to 12,000 VND/bunch; tomatoes from 18,000 - 24,000 to 50,000 VND/kg. Many types of tubers such as kohlrabi, pumpkin, and carrots also increased by 20 - 30%.

Vegetable prices are high at traditional markets.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, a vegetable vendor near the gate of the Green Market, shared: The supply of goods is very low. Vegetables are damaged and have pests. We buy at a high price, so we have to sell at a high price. But when the price increases, customers complain, and sometimes the goods are unsold for the whole day.

According to Ms. Phuong, the prices of common vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, water spinach, Malabar spinach... normally range from 7,000 - 9,000 VND/kg, but have now increased to 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg. Herbs of all kinds, which used to cost around 20,000 - 30,000 VND/kg, have now jumped to 50,000 - 60,000 VND/kg but are still scarce. Due to the high price of vegetables, many retailers only dare to import in moderation to avoid stockpiling and the risk of spoilage when purchasing power slows down.

According to traders, vegetable prices have increased sharply due to reduced supply, rainy weather, storms and floods in the provinces in recent days, causing few goods to arrive at the market, and a high rate of damage. However, if prices remain high, it will be difficult to sell because buyers tend to tighten their spending, so they still hope that prices will cool down soon when supply stabilizes again.

Not only small traders are facing difficulties, many households also have to tighten their spending. Ms. Hoang Thi Thu, Thuc Phan ward, said: My family has two small children, every day we have to buy vegetables to cook. This week, going to the market has cost more money. The vegetables that I used to buy before have now become "luxuries". I bought a fish for 60,000 VND, bought more vegetables and tomatoes to cook soup for more than 40,000 VND, now the price of green vegetables to cook enough for a meal for a family of 5 people is higher than the price of meat and fish.

Thinking about spending money when going to the market, Ms. Mai Lan, Tan Giang ward, added that in October, the price of green squash was only about 10,000 - 15,000 VND/kg, but now it has increased to 35,000 - 40,000 VND/kg, forcing her to consider and buy less. "Vegetables are an indispensable dish for my family, because the price has increased a lot, I only dare to buy a bunch of water spinach for a meal with a little more vegetables," Ms. Lan said.

Small traders only dare to import goods in moderation due to stagnant purchasing power.

According to records at Song Hien market and many other retail points, the main reason for the increase in vegetable prices is the prolonged unfavorable weather conditions. Rain has caused many vegetable areas to rot, slow growth, and sharply reduce yields. Some vegetable areas have been affected by green worms and downy mildew, making supply even more scarce.

In addition, farmers also suffered significant losses. Mr. Le Van Son, Nung Tri Cao ward shared: During the recent consecutive rains, nearly half of my family's vegetable area was damaged. The yield decreased so I don't have much to sell. The price increased but farmers did not benefit much, because they had already lost money from the previous crop.

In contrast to the green vegetable group, the prices of meat, fish, eggs, and dried goods at traditional markets remained stable. In the meat area, the number of buyers remained high, and prices did not fluctuate significantly: pork was about 100,000 - 150,000 VND/kg, beef was 150,000 - 250,000 VND/kg.

The phenomenon of seasonal vegetable price increases is not new, but such a large increase will significantly impact people's lives, especially in the context of increasing living costs. While the weather is still complicated, many households have switched to buying seasonal vegetables, prioritizing those that are easy to preserve and have more stable prices. Some traditional markets also have groups of people buying together to reduce transportation costs. These are considered temporary solutions but somewhat reduce the spending burden for people.

Source: https://baocaobang.vn/nguoi-tieu-dung-chong-mat-vi-gia-rau-cu-tiep-tuc-tang-manh-3182364.html