A lively and heartwarming atmosphere for both buyers and sellers.

At noon on the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, golden sunlight stretched across Hung Vuong Street in Ben Tre ward, as the spring flower market entered its busiest hours of the year.

At noon on the 29th day of the 12th lunar month, golden sunlight stretched across Hung Vuong Street in Ben Tre ward, as the spring flower market entered its busiest hours of the year.

Cockscomb flowers cost 40,000 VND per pair.

This year, the sale of flowers and ornamental plants has been quite good, especially fresh flowers like chrysanthemums, marigolds, and orchids. Pots of vibrant yellow flowers, blooming perfectly, seem to gather the spring sunshine into each tiny petal, and are being chosen by people to display during Tet (Lunar New Year). Along the road, many flower stalls are almost empty, with only a few remaining pots waiting for new owners.

Small potted apricot blossom trees, especially those for tabletop display, are primarily of the Thu Duc variety this year. This variety is popular because of its large petals, long-lasting blooms, and ease of care. In the early days of the market, prices ranged from 150,000 to 300,000 VND per tree. However, by noon on the 29th of Tet (Lunar New Year), prices had "hit rock bottom," falling to only 40,000 to 100,000 VND per tree, depending on shape and size.

Mr. Nguyen Van Kien (from Cai Mon, Vinh Thanh) has been involved in the ornamental apricot blossom business and the Ben Tre spring flower market for over 20 years. “I followed in my parents' footsteps, and now I’m continuing the family business. If I didn’t work with apricot blossoms, I probably wouldn’t know what other profession to pursue,” Mr. Kien said with a gentle smile. This year, he and his wife brought about 300 potted apricot blossom trees to the market. Each tree has been meticulously pruned and nurtured for 3-4 years. On the first day, he sold them for 300,000 VND per tree, allowing customers to choose freely. By noon on the 29th, he lowered the price to 100,000 VND per tree. “Selling all these will be enough to cover the cost of renting the truck,” he said, his eyes still shining with joy because the flower season met his expectations.

Small marigold plants cost 10,000 VND each and are quite easy to sell.

Not only apricot blossoms, but marigolds and chrysanthemums also sold very well this year. By noon on the 29th, most stalls had almost sold out, with only a few pairs remaining to be finalized at prices ranging from 80,000 to 120,000 VND per pair depending on size. Chrysanthemums were priced from 100,000 to 250,000 VND per pair. Mr. Hoang (from Thanh Tan commune) excitedly said he had sold about 500 pairs of chrysanthemums. "Consider this year's flower season a success," Mr. Hoang modestly said, his hands nimbly arranging the last remaining pots.

On New Year's Eve, chrysanthemums cost between 100,000 and 200,000 VND per pair.

Bougainvillea plants were quite abundant on the market this year. In the early days, prices ranged from several hundred thousand to one million dong per plant depending on the root shape, but by the end of the year, the price had dropped to only 200,000 - 250,000 dong per plant for the best quality. Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Diep (Phuoc My Trung commune) shared that she sold 700 baskets of marigolds, 500 of which were brought to the market and sold out by the 26th day of the 12th lunar month. Bougainvillea, however, sold more slowly, and she had to lower the price at the end of the year. "If the bougainvillea doesn't sell quickly enough, we can take it back and nurture it for next year's Tet holiday," Ms. Diep said optimistically.

Beautifully shaped bougainvillea plants were priced at 200,000 VND per pot on the afternoon of the 29th day of the Lunar New Year.

In the fruit market area, watermelons were also selling briskly. The round, dark green watermelons, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity, were a popular choice. The average price dropped from 17,000 VND/kg to 10,000 VND/kg by noon on the 29th day of the Lunar New Year. Vendors were rushing to sell off their remaining stock so they could pack up and return home for family reunions.

It can be said that this year's spring flower market in the wards of the former Ben Tre area went smoothly. Many households sold out their goods early at good prices. People came to the market not only to buy flowers and fruits but also to experience the Tet atmosphere. Potted flowers were transported on motorbikes, watermelons were neatly tied to the back, carrying with them hopes for a prosperous new year.

Text and photos: Cam Truc

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202602/ron-rang-am-long-nguoi-ban-mua-30e2514/