Flower consumption is very sluggish.
In Van Thanh flower village (Ward 5, Da Lat City) - a famous lily cultivation area - the flower market for the Lunar New Year of the Dragon 2024 is quite sluggish, leaving many flower growers anxious about this year's Tet flower season. Mr. Phan Van Quy, a lily grower with 10 years of experience, whose family cultivates many popular lily varieties with a nationwide distribution market, said that compared to previous years, he has only sold half of his current flower production.
According to Mr. Phan Van Quy, the current prices for lilies are as follows: Double lilies, standard quality, cost from 200,000 to 300,000 VND per vase of 5 stems; Grade 1 lilies (5 buds) range from 150,000 to 180,000 VND per vase of 5 stems; and other common lilies cost from 80,000 to 100,000 VND per 5 stems.
For potted lilies, prices vary depending on the type, with the lowest price being 45,000 VND/pot (3 plants) and the highest being 170,000 VND/pot (5 plants), a decrease of 20,000 - 25,000 VND/pot compared to last year.
Meanwhile, in Ha Dong flower village (Ward 8, Da Lat City), flower growers are worried that the demand for chrysanthemums this year may not be as high as in previous years. With over 20 years of experience growing chrysanthemums, Mr. Vu Ngoc Tan said that this year, the price of flowers may not be as good as in previous years, and many people here have proactively reduced the area planted with flowers for Tet (Lunar New Year). Instead, flower growers are focusing on caring for their gardens to ensure the best quality flowers.
According to Ms. Nguyen Duc Thien Vu, Director of Quynh Phuong Da Lat Co., Ltd. (Ward 5, Da Lat City), the consumption of Da Lat flowers is very sluggish at this time. Farmers want to hold onto their goods waiting for prices to rise, while buyers are still assessing the market.
Most types of flowers are currently priced low, not meeting people's expectations. Gerbera daisies are 80,000 VND/bundle of 20 stems; carnations 60,000 VND/bundle of 20 stems; eco-friendly red roses from 3,000 - 3,500 VND/stem, while other colored roses are only 800 - 1,300 VND/stem; first-grade gladioli are priced from 5,000 - 6,000 VND/stem, etc.
The price of gladioli is about half of what it was in 2023.
According to flower growers in Da Lat, most flower farms in Da Lat City have reduced their Tet flower cultivation area by 10-30% this year. Instead, they are focusing on caring for the flowers to achieve the best yield and quality, hoping that prices will increase closer to Tet.
In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, the price of gladiolus flowers in Hiep An commune (Duc Trong district) - a key gladiolus growing area in Lam Dong province - is only about 35,000 VND per bunch. This price is only about half of the price during the 2023 Lunar New Year season.
Currently, flower growers are urgently harvesting and transporting flowers to supply the Tet market throughout the country.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thoai, a flower grower in Dinh Anh village, Hiep An commune, said that with 1,000 square meters, his family grows about 25,000 gladiolus plants, harvesting about 20,000 of them. At a price of 30,000 - 40,000 VND per bunch, flower growers can earn a profit of about 7 million VND per sao (approximately 1,000 square meters) after deducting all expenses.
Mr. Thoai explained that although the 2024 Tet flower crop was bountiful, prices were slightly low, while fertilizer and labor costs were high. Therefore, flower growers would incur higher production costs.
Mr. Thai Binh Dong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hiep An commune, said that favorable weather conditions this year have made growing gladiolus easier, resulting in higher quality and yield. Currently, the commune has a total area of 180 hectares dedicated to gladiolus cultivation, with a yield of approximately 20,000 stems per sao (a unit of land measurement).
However, despite the approaching Lunar New Year, the gladiolus flower market remains quite sluggish. Currently, gladiolus prices vary depending on the type, with the cheapest costing 20,000 VND per bunch, and even the most beautiful ones only reaching 35,000 to 40,000 VND per bunch. Compared to the same period last year, this year's prices are only half.
According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Cu, Head of the Economic Department of Da Lat City, the total area for flower cultivation in the 2023-2024 season was 834.4 hectares, with a total production of 193,223.4 thousand stems (an increase of 89.4 hectares and 33,127 thousand stems compared to the same period in 2023). Of this, chrysanthemums alone accounted for 325 hectares and produced 139,169 thousand stems.
According to Mr. Cu, due to the general economic difficulties, the flower market in Da Lat City is currently sluggish and not as bustling as in previous years. He hopes that flower prices will rise again in the next few days so that flower growers in Da Lat City can celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year with more joy.
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