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Post-Tet consumer prices remain high
Tet has gone by and the peak of the shopping season has passed, but prices of many consumer goods in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are still much higher than before Tet, a SGGP survey has found.
In general, there is a large volume of food on sale at markets, but many fresh food items at some big markets in Hanoi like Thanh Cong, Lang Ha, Kim Lien and Hang Be sold at exorbitant prices in the past few days.
Napa cabbage, for instance, was sold for VND25,000 per kg yesterday, February 20, twice as much as before Tet.
Also selling at double price was pig bones, selling for VND60,000-70,000 per kg, while the price of beef fillet was increased by VND50,000 to VND200,000 per kg and ready-made chicken was sold for VND150,000 per kg, a rise of VND20,000.
Some fish were also sold at inflated prices, like carp and snake-head, which were sold for VND100,000 and VND150,000 per kg respectively.
Many traders at Kim Lien market said the supply to their market and others slowed after Tet, since many suppliers were yet to resume normal business.
Meanwhile, the demand for consumer goods remained high causing inflated food prices, they explained.
To avoid markets, many consumers have turned to supermarkets, where they found many items, especially fresh food and vegetables, at cheaper prices but in low supply.
In Ho Chi Minh City, many supermarkets resumed operation on February 15 (The second day of Tet holidays) while food stocks at the three main traditional markets, Binh Dien, Thu Duc and Hoc Mon, have increased again.
However, the markets’ prices of many essential food items remained high, especially pork and beef, which were sold for VND72,000-88.000 and VND140,000-145,000 respectively, an increase of VND2,000-10,000 per kg.
At Ba Chieu market, mud fish and red snapper fish were sold for up to VND55,000 and VND45,000 per kg respectively, up VND5,000 per kg each.
At Cay Thi market, vegetables like winter melon, cauliflower, cucumber, and tomato, were also selling higher than normal.
Nonetheless, many shoppers said the prices at markets were slightly lower compared to a few days ago.
VietNamNet, SGGP
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