Small traders are rushing to load and unload flowers onto motorbikes so they can quickly take them to markets in the city.

At 4 a.m., trucks carrying flowers from Da Lat arrive one after another, bringing yellow chrysanthemums, gladioli, white lilies, and other flowers to serve the Tet market in Hue . Nguyen Van Phuong, the person in charge of checking the quantity of flowers arriving in the city, said that normally there are only about 1 to 3 truckloads of flowers from Da Lat to Hue, but as Tet approaches, the number increases three to four times. Some days there are up to 10 to 12 trucks. With more flowers for Tet, the work is much busier.

On normal days, he wakes up around 4 a.m. to check the goods when the flower trucks arrive. Closer to Tet (Lunar New Year), he sometimes has to stay awake from 1 or 2 a.m. "Even in rain, wind, and cold, I still have to work to ensure that the flowers are ready in time for the traders to take and sell," Mr. Phuong said while busily taking notes and checking each batch of goods.

In a corner of the market, Ms. Le Thi Hoa, a flower vendor with over 25 years of experience, is still busy sorting newly arrived bouquets. Her work begins at dawn and only stops when all the flowers have been sold. "If we're a little slow, the flowers will wilt, lose their beauty, and their value will decrease. And during Tet (Vietnamese New Year), everyone prefers fresh flowers," Ms. Hoa said.

Therefore, the flower market is a race against time. From Da Lat, flowers arrive in Hue while it's still dark, then are distributed to markets of all sizes by various means of transport. The transporters work almost non-stop; even a delay of a few hours means missing the early market session, and the flowers may not retain their original freshness.

At Dong Ba Market, the atmosphere surrounding spring flowers has begun to liven up. Ms. Nguyen Thi Khoa Xuan, a flower seller for nearly 30 years, said that selling flowers is not as easy as many people think. Flower prices have increased slightly this year, partly due to transportation costs and partly due to unpredictable weather.

According to vendors, gladioli remain the most popular flower, priced between 25,000 and 40,000 VND per bunch depending on length and number of stems. Cut chrysanthemums are sold in bunches for around 30,000 to 60,000 VND, while lilies, favored by many families, command higher prices, around 25,000 to 35,000 VND per stem. Some types of flowers commonly used for Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, such as tulips and snowdrops, cost several hundred thousand VND per bunch, depending on quantity and beauty. Despite a slight price increase due to transportation costs and unpredictable weather, the buying and selling atmosphere remains bustling, as many people still want a vase of fresh flowers in their homes to welcome the spring.

Ms. Dang Hai Tuong said: "Lilies and snowdrops are familiar choices for my family. Just looking at the vase of flowers immediately changes the atmosphere of Tet. Without flowers, the house feels so empty."

As the sun rises, the flower market becomes even more bustling. The last trucks continue to bring the colors of spring into every street and every small market in Hue. From these early morning markets, spring has begun to enthusiastically herald a new year that is very near.

Text and photos: HAI BANG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/ron-rang-cho-hoa-ngay-tet-162906.html