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Tran Van Thich, director of Phuoc An Safe Vegetable Cooperative in HCMC, told VietNamNet that prolonged heavy rain combined with high tides had flooded many vegetable fields in recent days, wiping out almost all crops still in the fields.
Thich said prices of many VietGAP-certified vegetables have risen over the past week to around $0.53-0.57 per kilogram, while volumes reaching the market have fallen significantly.
“For the past three days, HCMC has seen heavy rain, and we have had almost no vegetables to sell. We can only harvest from a few areas on higher ground,” he said.
The reduced supply has affected market prices, while heavy rain and rising water levels have also affected fish farmers because of the risk of oxygen depletion, he added.
Long Thuan Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative in Dong Thap has faced similar conditions, with members reporting a 30-40% decline in vegetable supplies due to the weather.
Cooperative director Doan Thanh Dung said the drop in supply had pushed prices of leafy vegetables up by about $0.19-0.27 per kilogram, depending on the variety. Prices, particularly for herbs, could rise further next week if the rain continues, he said.
Surveys at traditional markets in HCMC show that many vegetables are now considerably more expensive than in July and August.
Mustard greens and bok choy are selling for around $1.52-1.90 per kilogram, up about $0.38 from last month, or 25-33%. Spinach costs around $1.52-1.71 per kilogram, while bottle gourd is priced at $0.76-0.83, up around $0.11-0.19.
Herbs have recorded even steeper increases. Coriander and spring onions have climbed above $2.66 per kilogram, at least $0.76 higher than a month earlier.
Quyen, a trader at Pham Van Bach Market in An Hoi Tay ward, said vegetable supplies had noticeably declined over the past two weeks because of heavy rain, while prices had risen sharply.
She said sweet mustard greens, spinach, gourds, squash and coriander were among the products recording strong price increases, while supplies remained limited.
“Higher prices worry not only customers but traders like me as well because we have to discard so many damaged roots and leaves,” Quyen said.
She said coriander and spring onions, which she would normally give customers free when they bought vegetables for soup, now cost an additional $0.76 per kilogram wholesale.
“If I give them away, I lose money, but if I don’t, I worry about losing customers. I still don’t know what to do,” she said.
At Thu Duc Wholesale Market, Nguyen Binh Phuong, business and services director at Thu Duc Agricultural Wholesale Market Management and Trading JSC, said vegetable prices were fluctuating for products sourced from weather-affected areas.
Bottle gourds, tomatoes, sweet mustard greens, mustard greens, spring onions and bitter melons have all increased by around $0.04-0.11 per kilogram compared with September 21 as supplies declined while demand remained high.
Consumers feel the pressure
Higher vegetable prices are making it harder for HCMC households to manage daily expenses.
Nghiem Thu Huyen, an HCMC resident, said prices of essential consumer goods had generally risen from a year earlier, making weather-related price spikes an additional burden on household budgets.
“Vegetables are part of almost every family meal. When their prices rise, the daily grocery bill increases significantly, forcing me to rethink our meals to stay within budget,” she said.
Huyen noted that prices of some other foods, including pork and sea fish, had remained relatively stable, easing some of the pressure on household spending.
Ngo Thanh Huan, director of investment advisory and wealth management company FIDT, advised consumers not to stockpile vegetables while prices are high.
Instead, households should buy only what they need, prepare shopping lists in advance and take advantage of promotions offered by supermarkets and retailers, he said.
Thu Ha
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