Crayfish flood Vietnamese markets, still in high demand despite high prices

As an alien species that threatens the agricultural industry, these days, Chinese crayfish are flooding Vietnamese markets. Notably, this type of crayfish is quite expensive but still attracts many customers.

The price of crayfish is commonly advertised by dealers at 360,000-400,000 VND/kg. Compared to the same period last year, the price of crayfish has decreased by about 30-40%, but is still more expensive than Vietnamese whiteleg shrimp sold in the market.

According to aquatic experts, crayfish can become a disaster for the agricultural industry. Because of their habit of living on the bottom, like to dig holes, like the dark, and are active at night. They can dig holes 100-200cm deep, live both underwater and on land and withstand temperatures of 0-37 degrees Celsius.

At one point, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had to issue an urgent dispatch requesting provinces, cities and authorities to intervene to prevent and hunt down crayfish. If discovered, they must be destroyed immediately, and trading activities must be strictly punished to avoid spreading this alien species into the environment. (See details)

Alaska lobster for sale everywhere, price drops sharply

Late last year and early this year, to enjoy Alaska lobster, many people had to spend from 1.2 to 1.7 million VND per kilogram, depending on the type. However, in recent days, this imported lobster has suddenly been sold in the market at a price of only 350,000 to 399,000 VND/each, surprising many people. These are not dead or frozen goods, but healthy Alaska lobsters.

Mr. Le Anh Tu (owner of a seafood shop in Giai Phong, Hoang Mai, Hanoi) said that the Alaska lobster season starts from May to October every year. That is, during this time, lobsters not only have the best meat quality but also the cheapest price of the year due to abundant supply.

According to Mr. Tu, in recent years, the economy has been difficult, so the amount of imported seafood consumed has decreased quite sharply. At this time, Alaska lobster is relatively cheap, so the number of customers ordering is increasing. (See details)

Alaskan Tom Hum 1 3713.jpg
Alaska lobsters are sold everywhere in the market. Photo: NVCC

Rare, oddly shaped frog, priced at 300,000 VND per kg, causing a stir

Recently, on online markets, the giant frog has been advertised as a rare delicacy, becoming a “fever” that many people are looking to buy. The giant frog is sold for 200,000-320,000 VND/kg.

In response to the trend of eating frogs, Dr. Pham Van The, a conservation researcher at Van Lang University, spoke to VietNamNet, saying that urgent action is needed to address the plight of frogs in Vietnam. According to Dr. Pham Van The, this frog is not only an important part of the ecosystem but also a symbol of biodiversity in the region. (See details)

Super cheap sturgeon on the online market

Sturgeon is usually sold for 270,000-300,000 VND/kg, but recently, many people have been selling sturgeon online for very cheap prices, only half the market price. According to Knowledge and Life, on the online market, there are many places selling sturgeon for only 120,000-150,000 VND/kg. Some places even sell cleaned fish for 100,000 VND/kg, so customers only need to process it.

At supermarkets and seafood stores in Ho Chi Minh City, fresh, swimming sturgeon is still quite expensive, from 270,000-320,000 VND/kg, each fish weighs from 2-4 kg depending on size.

Mr. Le Minh Trung, a wholesaler of seafood in Binh Dien wholesale market (HCMC), said that the sturgeon market is a mixed bag, and it is difficult for both buyers and sellers to distinguish the origin of the fish, except based on the price.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung, owner of a seafood store on Ta Quang Buu Street, District 8, shared that sturgeon priced at 100,000 VND/kg is a type of "sniper fish" that has been pre-processed, cut into pieces, and vacuum-sealed, and can be stored in the freezer comfortably. It can only be frozen sturgeon smuggled into Vietnam.

Prices skyrocket, but hot flight tickets are still half sold out

Although airfares have cooled down, people are tightening their spending,... so even though it is the peak summer tourist season, the booking rate for flights is still low. Some "hot" routes are half sold out on weekends.

According to the admission of the leaders of domestic airlines, the average airfare is still high and 20% more expensive than the same period every year. Many passengers calculate to buy tickets for flights departing at night or early in the morning to get a lower price. However, the amount of money saved compared to having to endure the fatigue caused by flying at "bad times" makes many people give up this idea for future trips. (See details)

Thai jackfruit price has dropped dramatically, each kilo is not worth a glass of iced tea.

For nearly a month now, according to Tuoi Tre Newspaper, the price of Thai jackfruit has dropped from 30,000-40,000 VND/kg to about 13,000 VND/kg for the best quality jackfruit. Thai jackfruit in gardens in Tien Giang, Ben Tre provinces... is being bought by traders for 2,000-4,000 VND/kg if bought in bulk.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang - a jackfruit trader in Cai Lay district, Tien Giang province - said that jackfruit is in full bloom at this time. Many gardeners, after a long period of drought and salinity, have reinvested in their orchards. Now that it is harvest time, there is a large amount of jackfruit, and traders are very selective in their purchases.

Especially at large warehouses, the amount of containerized goods is also abundant, there is no longer a shortage like a few months ago, so prices have also decreased accordingly.