VietNamNet Bridge – The majority of Vietnamese people spend less money on the Tet of Snake than the previous years.

Peach branches, kumquat and apricot trees have been present on every street and have been seen at every corner of the cities. The streams of people and vehicles still have been lancing on streets.

Only some people stop on the streets, drop into the floral shops on the pavements to choose peach branches or kumquat trees to decorate their houses on the threshold of the near lunar year, the year of snake. The buyers haggle with the sellers and only accept to buy at reasonable prices.

A floral mini market has been gathered on the pavements of Nguyen Chi Thanh Street in Hanoi. Kumquat, peach trees and ornamental trees have been displayed in abundance on the pavement. There are also the small kiosks that sell import flowers which were introduced as the imports from the Netherland and China.

Hoang, a peach tree seller there, complained that there were more visitors than buyers. He spent the whole afternoon showing the trees to clients and persuaded them to buy the trees, but the sales were very modest.

Hoang said all the kumquat and peach trees available here are priced at below VND2 million, which he thinks would be more affordable to people who try to fasten their belt in the economic recession.

He said even the trees valued at 3-5 million dong were sold easily last Tet. However, things are different now, and only the trees with reasonable prices can be sold.

“We anticipate the weak demand this year, therefore, we did not develop expensive trees,” he said.

Hai, a civil servant at a state agency, said he is in low spirits, therefore, he does not intend to go shopping now. “I don’t expect too much from Tet bonus, while the monthly salary payment is late,” he said.

Thuy, a housewife in Cau Giay district, said in 2012, her husband bought a big kumquat tree at VND580,000, but she now just intends to buy some flowers to decorate the house on Tet days. “If so, we can save hundreds of thousands of dong,” she explained.

Especially, Thuy said she would not have too much food for Tet parties like she had in previous years.

“I always prepared too much food for Tet days, in case we had parties with friends or relatives. But I have realized that this is a big waste and I am going to change my mind this year,” she said.

Housewives have been meeting each other more regularly these days to exchange the information about sales promotion programs. Hieu, a housewife in Dong Da district, said her niece is a saleswoman at a supermarket; therefore, she can update the news about the goods prices.

“I have to think carefully before spending money on anything; no matter if it is a roll of toilet paper or a kilo of meat. Yesterday I bought a 5-liter bottle of vegetable oil which I shared with a neighbor. As such, I can save VND30,000,” Hieu said.

Meanwhile, Loan feels happy because she will not have to spend money on vegetables. She now can grow some kinds of vegetables on the balcony, which can bring safe vegetables to the family and help save money.

“I will just have to buy some carrots and onions to have enough things we need for Tet parties,” she said.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang admitted at a press conference on February 4 that the Tet purchasing power is low which truly reflects the current situation of the economy.

To Quoc