Pork prices continue to increase, traders wait for customers

TPO - After Tet, pork prices have continuously increased. The increase in the price of this item has caused a series of restaurants to increase their prices as well. The increase in pork prices has reduced purchasing power, making it difficult for small businesses to do business.

TPO - After Tet, pork prices have continuously increased. The increase in the price of this item has caused a series of restaurants to increase their prices as well. The increase in pork prices has reduced purchasing power, making it difficult for small businesses to do business.

Hot item but can't sell

At noon on February 15, at the pork stall in Ba Chieu market (Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh City), there were few sellers and buyers. Waving a fan to chase away flies, Mrs. Duong Mai (nearly 80 years old) occasionally looked into the distance to wait for customers.

“The price of meat is too high, so there are few buyers. Normally, after Tet, the price of pork will decrease, but now it is increasing every day. The more the price of pork increases, the more difficult it is for us to sell wholesale because customers are not buying,” said Ms. Mai.

Many pork stalls are still full even though it's past the noon market rush hour.

Regarding the news of shortages and "out of stock", Ms. Mai explained that the situation was not due to many customers buying. The reason was the lack of supply. "But the shortage of goods, in my opinion, probably only happens at wholesale markets. Because at retail markets, small traders sit all day but there is still plenty of meat, few people buy. Even wholesale customers selling food are taking less goods, so how can the number of customers buying for family use increase?" - Ms. Mai affirmed.

At Ban Co market (District 3), there are many people going to the market but not many customers buying pork. Mrs. Mo's pork stall in the market is still full even though it is past the noon peak. Every now and then, a customer comes in to buy a few pounds of meat to cook soup, and Mrs. Mo is very happy.

“There are few customers, and the amount of meat purchased is also low, so it is very unsold. Before, I bought pork through an intermediary, they delivered it to my door; now I go to the wholesale market to buy it myself to reduce costs, but it is not much. Meat prices have increased so much that I have to increase the retail price, customers consider choosing other types of meat to replace it, such as chicken, duck, fish…” – Ms. Mo said.

Pork prices have increased, so people buy less and choose other foods instead, such as chicken, duck, tofu...

According to a survey by Tien Phong reporters, a week before the Lunar New Year 2025, spare ribs cost VND200,000/kg, at that time the price had increased by VND20,000. But today, spare ribs cost about VND220,000 - 230,000/kg, pork belly VND208,000/kg, lean shoulder VND135,000/kg, lean thigh VND140,000/kg... If calculated from the beginning of January until now, the price of meat has increased by VND30,000 - 40,000/kg, depending on the type.

The increase in pork prices has also increased the prices of broken rice and vermicelli dishes. After reopening her broken rice restaurant after the God of Wealth Day, Ms. Le Thi Thuy (District 6) has added grilled chicken instead of pork chops to her broken rice dish. “I sell affordable rice, priced from 30,000 - 35,000 VND/dish, mainly to serve laborers and workers. The price of pork has increased, but it is difficult for me to increase the selling price, so I proactively add chicken to my rice dish,” Ms. Thuy said.

The pork leg noodle shop on Dien Bien Phu Street (District 3) has also just changed its price list to 45,000 VND/bowl (an increase of 3,000 VND). "We have to increase the price because otherwise it will be difficult to continue doing business. I also explained to customers so they can understand, but the shop still has fewer customers than before" - said Mr. Thanh, the shop owner.

Continue to increase

Since the Lunar New Year 2025, pork prices have continuously increased but the output to the wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City has decreased. For example, at the Hoc Mon wholesale market (Hoc Mon district), only about 2,900 - 3,000 pigs/day (down 50% compared to before Tet). There are few pigs coming in and the price is high.

Pork at wholesale markets has decreased by 50% compared to before Tet, many times it is "out of stock", making it difficult for retailers to buy for retail.

After two days of temporary price stability, currently, live pigs in the South have increased to 74,000 - 75,000 VND/kg; pork loin prices have also increased to 94,000 - 95,000 VND/kg, even up to 100,000 VND/head for good quality ones. Pork mixed with thighs, pork chops 90,000 VND/kg, ham 65,000 - 75,000 VND/kg, lean pork 120,000 VND/kg...

According to Mr. Nguyen Kim Doan, Vice President of Dong Nai Livestock Association, at the end of 2024, Dong Nai province - known as the pig farming capital of the country - implemented a policy of relocating thousands of livestock farms out of residential areas and not in accordance with planning, so the total livestock herd in the area decreased compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, the impact of African swine fever has also caused many livestock farms, especially small-scale farms, to suffer damage and stop operating.

Mr. Doan also said that the price of live pigs only needs to be at 63,000 - 65,000 VND/kg to ensure good profits for farmers. With the current good price, farmers are expected to quickly restore their herds.

At supermarkets and pork stores of businesses participating in market stabilization in Ho Chi Minh City, pork prices are still stable. For example, pork belly without ribs is 71,000 VND/300 gram tray, baby back ribs is 109,000 VND/400 gram tray...

Mr. Phan Van Dung, Deputy General Director of Vissan Company informed that since February 12, live pigs have been purchased at the price of 72,000 VND/kg, an increase of 5,000 VND/kg compared to the current base price of stabilized pork (applied from December 30, 2024).

“Due to the price stabilization regulations and low purchasing power at the beginning of the year, the only solution we can implement is to “try” and not increase prices,” said Mr. Dung.

According to the leader of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, some businesses have proposed to increase the selling price of products participating in the market stabilization program, including pork. However, the stabilization program has previously committed to keeping prices stable for a period of one month before Tet and one month after Tet, so prices cannot be increased at this time.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) forecasts that pork consumption in Vietnam could reach 4 million tons in 2025, up 3.3% year-on-year. However, domestic supply may face challenges due to disease and high herd restoration costs. Live hog prices are forecast to remain at VND65,000 - 75,000/kg until the end of the first half of 2025.

Uyen Phuong

Source: https://tienphong.vn/thit-heo-lien-tuc-tang-gia-tieu-thuong-ngong-khach-post1717343.tpo