People are flocking to streets and shops in HCM City to shop for Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, and sellers say sales are booming.
A customer buys fruit at a supermarket in HCM City. With Tet around the corner, there has been a surge in sales, according to many businesses.
Processed foods, clothes and footwear are the products most in demand since last week.
On busy streets like Hai Ba Trung, Tran Hung Dao, Le Van Sy, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, and Nguyen Trai, Tet goods are displayed on the street, causing traffic jams, especially after 5pm.
Most businesses said sales have risen since January 17 as most companies have paid salaries and Tet bonuses.
Dang Quynh Doan, director of Viet Thy Fashion Ltd Co, said the number of customers has increased by 10 – 20 per cent compared to normal days.
“The supply of Tet products is abundant this year. Businesses have only a few days left to sell them.”
At Co.opmart, sales have doubled compared to normal days, mostly of fresh food for making offerings at ancestors’ altars.
Sales of confectionery, marmalades and beverages have also been on the rise, especially last weekend, as customers bought gifts for their relatives and loved ones.
Co.opmart is running promotions on confectionery, drinks and fresh food with discounts of 10-15 per cent. Sales of the products are expected to continue to surge.
Vissan is offering discounts of 5-15 per cent from Jan 5 to 27 on products like sausage, spring rolls, fermented pork rolls, braised fish, and braised pork.
Co.opmart and Co.opXtra said they have mobilised additional workers and increased the number of counters to better serve customers.
Mango prices surge
Vo Viet Hung, director of My Xuong Mango Cooperative in Dong Thap Province, said this year mango output is down by 90 per cent due to unfavourable weather.
His co-operative has only harvested 10 tonnes for Tet instead of the usual 100 tonnes, he said.
“Most of the co-operative’s mangoes meet VietGAP standards, all of them have a logo and are sold to supermarkets, mostly VinMart.”
Mangoes are among the five fruits essential for offerings for southerners.
Due to the limited supply, the fruit’s prices are continuing to rise, especially with Tet nearing.
Traders find it hard to find mangoes those days.
Cat chu mango in Cao Lanh is priced at VND40,000 (US$1.7) per kilogramme and Hoa Loc mango at VND140,000 ($6), double the prices last year, but supply is still not forthcoming.
Mango prices are expected to keep rising until Tet, which falls on Saturday.
Grapefruit prices have been stable at VND40,000 per kilogramme due to abundant supply, according to Hung.
Tet is the most important festival in Viet Nam, and is celebrated from New Year’s Eve until at least the third day of the year.
VNS