Trưa on Lunar New Year’s Eve, flower vendors at markets in Ho Chi Minh City were scrambling to vacate their stalls. Many chose to move flowers onto the streets for last-minute sales in hopes of recouping some capital before heading home for the holiday. Some, frustrated by rock-bottom prices from customers, resorted to destroying their flowers and discarding them after months of hard work.
Vendors at Gia Dinh Park (Go Vap District) moved flowers onto Hoang Minh Giam Street to sell them off.
The Bleak Situation of Vendors on Lunar New Year’s Eve
At Gia Dinh Park flower market (Go Vap District), many vendors expressed disappointment as they only managed to sell a small portion of their inventory. Those unable to sell their goods had to load them back onto trucks or even destroy them right there.
“People offered very low prices, not enough to cover fertilizer costs, transportation, and care. We’d rather destroy the flowers than sell them so cheaply,” one vendor shared. This sentiment was echoed by many farmers who had spent an entire year preparing for the Lunar New Year season.
Vendors at Gia Dinh Park were frustrated, choosing to destroy flowers instead of selling them cheaply.
For valuable plants like orchids, vendors often trimmed branches to transport them back to nurseries for recovery. Mr. Hoang Tuan (47, from Ben Tre) said, “This year, I brought over 40 orchid trees to Ho Chi Minh City but only sold 12. The rest had to be trimmed and taken back to my village.”
Support from Security Guards and Slow Sales
Security guards at Gia Dinh Park also helped vendors move flowers out of the park. “We assist people in removing flowers to vacate the premises and hope they can sell a bit more to have money for the Tet holiday,” a security guard shared.
The security team actively supported to complete the vacating process on time.
Despite deep discounts and “big sale” signs, many vendors still couldn’t find buyers. Ms. An Nhan (42, from Tien Giang), with over a decade of experience selling Lunar New Year flowers in Ho Chi Minh City, tearfully remarked, “This is the worst year yet. We just hope to break even for next year.”
Heartbreaking Scenes at 23/9 Park Flower Market
At the 23/9 Park flower market (District 1), the situation was no better. Many broken pots lay abandoned after the market closed. A vendor from Ben Tre shared that a customer offered 50,000 VND for a pot of kumquat that originally cost 200,000 VND, causing her great distress.
Many pots were broken and left behind after the market closed.
Ms. Kim Nguyen (40) explained that despite transportation costs of 3 million VND per trip, she had to trim her orchid branches to take them back. “I was sorry to lose those orchids, but the cost was too high,” Ms. Nguyen said.
A Faint Hope on the Last Day of the Year
Despite facing difficulties, many vendors persisted until the evening, hoping to sell a little more. Mr. Dung (from Ben Tre) and his son patiently waited for customers. “We hope to sell a bit more to have money for the Tet holiday,” Mr. Dung shared.
Mr. Dung and his son remained hopeful in the final hours of the year.
As the last day of the year approached, many people in Ho Chi Minh City rushed to buy flowers and ornamental plants to decorate their homes. However, the sad story of the flower vendors is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the floral industry.
Conclusion
The sad reality of Ho Chi Minh City’s flower vendors on Lunar New Year’s Eve reflects the difficulties the floral and ornamental plant industry is encountering. Despite numerous obstacles, they maintain hope for a more prosperous new year. To support these hardworking individuals, the community should raise awareness and support local products. Share this article to spread this meaningful message!
Source: Dan Tri
