According to records, over the past 3 days, heavy and prolonged rains have occurred in the provinces and cities of the West. The unseasonal rain has affected the production of ornamental flower and vegetable gardens for Tet.
Rain occurs during the growing stage of plants, which are sensitive to weather, causing them to be crushed, weakened and susceptible to disease. This not only reduces the quantity of quality flowers but also increases the production costs of gardeners.
After the rain, over 200 pots of marigolds and chrysanthemums owned by Ms. Tran Thi Kim Lien (Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City) were damaged and had fungus growing before they could recover. This is the second time Ms. Lien’s flower garden has been affected by unseasonal rain, the first time being in early December.
"It rained at the beginning of the month, so I put the plants on shelves and covered them with nets to avoid waterlogging and pests. But recently it has continued to rain heavily and for a long time, so the small pots planted later were still weak and had their leaves crushed. My biggest concern is the bonsai apricot trees, because of the constant cold rain, the plants are likely to bloom early," said Ms. Lien.
According to records, the Tet flower market has somewhat improved, with flower prices increasing by 5,000 - 20,000 VND/pot compared to the same period last year. Although it has not yet reached the peak shopping season, flower prices have shown signs of increasing. However, Ms. Lien is still worried about output and profits.
"After the rain, the cost of buying fertilizers, pesticides, and building trellises to cover the flower garden has increased, not counting the number of dead and damaged plants. Production costs have increased, but selling has not made much profit. I estimate that profits have decreased by about 30% compared to last year," said Ms. Lien.
This year, for Tet, garden owner Le Van Thanh (Vi Thanh City, Hau Giang Province) supplied the market with 4,000 flower pots of various kinds. Of these, 3,000 pots were ordered by traders, the rest were sold retail.
According to the sharing, Mr. Thanh received a deposit of 15 million VND from the trader for the order of chrysanthemums. After the impact of the rain, he increased his garden visits, promptly detected pests and diseases, and ensured on-time delivery to the trader.
"I spend all the deposit I receive on taking care of the bonsai, I don't have any money left. After receiving the deposit, I have to ensure the order is fulfilled. I'm worried about the plants getting fungus, leaf burn, and waterlogging, so I spray pesticides and monitor them all the time," said Mr. Thanh.
According to the reporter, the price of chrysanthemums deposited by traders at the garden has increased from 10,000 - 15,000 VND/pair, currently fluctuating from 180,000 - 190,000 VND/pair. Other types of flowers such as marigolds and carnations have also increased from 5,000 - 10,000 VND/pot compared to the same period last year.
According to information from the Binh Thuy District Agricultural Extension Station (Can Tho City), the number of ornamental flowers planted in the 2025 Tet crop is expected to reach over 200,000 baskets. The consumption of Tet flowers this year may increase by 5-8% compared to 2024.
In order to facilitate connections between traders, gardeners and ornamental flower producers, the People's Committee of Can Tho City has agreed in principle to assign the Department of Industry and Trade to organize the Tet flower market of At Ty year 2025. It is expected to be held from January 18 to 28, 2025 at Tay Do Square - Can Tho.
It is expected that there will be over 200 lots and stalls displaying and trading ornamental flowers, ornamental plants, and bonsai of gardeners, farmers, and small traders in Can Tho City and the Mekong Delta provinces.
