Tet flowers begin to bloom all over the streets, buyers flock in droves

People flock to hunt for "big discount" Tet flowers at Gia Dinh Park, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: THANH HIEP

At 11:15 am on January 28 (the 29th day of Tet), Ms. Hong Ngu (from Tien Giang) still had about 40 mini bonsai apricot pots. Ms. Ngu said she had to reduce the price to 50,000 VND for bonsai apricot pots that were selling for 200,000 - 250,000 VND a few days ago.

The management board of the 23-9 Park flower market (HCMC) said that by 11:30 today, the vendors must return the premises so that cleaning staff can come and clean up.

At Dam Sen flower market, many vendors also posted signs and advertised big discounts from early morning. Some places had peach branches on sale for only 100,000 VND.

Many people also flocked to the Tet flower markets on the sidewalks to buy cheap flowers. In many places, sellers offered a pot of apricot blossoms for a few hundred thousand dong. A pair of large yellow chrysanthemums was only 100,000 dong.

Mr. Nhan (living in Go Vap district) said that knowing that flowers were on sale today, he took the opportunity to go with his wife to "collect" the last flowers. He doesn't need beautiful flowers, he just wants a little bit of flowers to add to the Tet atmosphere in his house.

There are still many vendors "selling lanterns" at 11:30 a.m. at the flower market in the park on September 23 - Photo: TTD

Hundreds of Thai Binh peach trees are still at 23-9 Park even though the time to return the land has passed. Photo taken at 12:20 on the 29th of Tet - Photo: TTD

Sellers advertise big discounts on peach blossoms. Photo taken at Dam Sen flower market, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: HUU HANH

People pick flowers from trash cans. Photo taken on the morning of January 28 at Dam Sen flower market, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: HUU HANH

12:15 p.m., Tuoi Tre Online reporter recorded at Gia Dinh Park Tet flower market (Phu Nhuan district, Ho Chi Minh City) still bustling with buyers and sellers.

There are still a lot of flowers but many traders have "big discounts" to sell all the flowers and return the space to the park.

Mr. Cong, a flower seller at Gia Dinh Park, shared: "Every New Year's Eve, we have to sell all the flowers to pay for the space. If we don't sell them all, we have to throw them away. It's so hard to take care of and transport the plants from the West to Saigon to sell, but now it's heartbreaking to throw them away."

The last large pots of mai flowers have begun to be sold off by traders and delivered to buyers' homes - Photo: THANH HIEP

A pair of Sa Dec marigolds has been reduced to 80,000 VND because we have half an hour left to return them to the market for cleaning workers. Photo taken at the flower market in 23-9 Park, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TTD

Mr. Cong, a trader, offers to sell the last apricot trees before closing his stall at Gia Dinh Park - Photo: THANH HIEP

Large pots of marigolds are discounted by traders to 100,000 VND/pair at Gia Dinh Park - Photo: THANH HIEP

Despite having reduced prices to clear inventory and clear space, many buyers continue to push down prices in the hope of getting the best price - Photo: THANH HIEP

Mr. Nhieu cuts marigolds to sell to customers to bring home for worship - Photo: TTD

Mini apricot pot reduced to 40,000 VND with 10 minutes left until the market return time to the park 9/23 - Photo: TTD

Sa Dec chili costs 150,000 VND now only 40,000 VND - Photo: TTD

Unsold ornamental plants at the September 23 park flower market must be brought back to Long An - Photo: TTD

Mr. Nhan was pleased to take home 2 flower pots after buying them at a cheap price - Photo: THANH HIEP

Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan sells apricot blossoms at Long Xuyen Tet flower market - Photo: NGUYEN THONG

At the Long Xuyen Tet flower market (An Giang), many people bring flowers from Ben Tre to the market in boats loaded with flower pots and ornamental plants. The family of Ms. Dang Thi Cuc (39 years old) and Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan (41 years old) are among them.

Mr. Nhan said that the cost of renting a flower selling space in Long Xuyen is somewhat lower than in other places. The flower market is located next to a large river, boats can easily travel there, so his family does not have to spend extra on transportation to the center like some other flower markets.

But when asked about the wholesale situation, Mr. Nhan confided: "The economy is still difficult, purchasing power is constantly decreasing. For example, I have sold apricot trees since December 19th, and now I have only sold about 10 trees. The cost of renting a boat and paying for gas and transportation is no longer profitable."

Apricot and almond ornamental flowers for Tet sale in Kien Giang sea encroachment area have 'shocking' price reductions to attract buyers

Mr. Sau next to a pot of beautiful blooming apricot flowers at a very low price, about 500,000 VND/pot - Photo: CHI CONG

On the 29th of Tet, at the Tet flower selling point in An Hoa Park, Phu Cuong urban area to Tran Quang Khai square and Rach Gia commercial center (Rach Gia city, Kien Giang), the buying and selling atmosphere was still quite bustling. Apricot blossoms , ornamental almonds and raspberry chrysanthemums were discounted by more than 50% by the sellers.

Mr. Le Van Sau, owner of a mai flower garden in Ben Tre, said that this year he brought about 700 mai trees to Kien Giang to sell. Since the 20th of Tet until now, he has sold about 80%, so he is "shockingly discounting" the remaining 20% to sell them all quickly so he can go home for Tet.

"I grow large-flowered apricot flowers. Because of the cold weather this year, the apricot flowers are not blooming evenly. It's the 29th of Tet now, so I'm lowering the price to sell them all quickly," he said.

"My family brought 400 bonsai pots to the market but so far have only sold about 150 pots at 400,000-500,000 VND/pot. Now it's down to 250,000 VND/pot but there are still few customers coming to buy. Hopefully we'll see what happens tonight" - Mr. Nguyen Van Bi, the owner of a flower garden in Ben Tre, added.