On the afternoon of September 6, before storm No. 3 was expected to make landfall, many traditional markets in Hai Phong were crowded.
According to Lao Dong reporters at Dong Quoc Binh market (Ngo Quyen district), meat and vegetable stalls were crowded with customers. Ms. Hien - the owner of a pork stall at the entrance of Dong Quoc Binh market - said that by 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, after only 15 minutes of setting up the stall, all the ribs, pork belly, and lean shoulder meat were rushed to buy by people. By 4:30 p.m. the same day, Ms. Hien's stall had sold more than 400 kg of meat, with only about ten kilograms of fat, organs, and ground meat left.
According to Ms. Hien, most of the meat stalls in the market were sold out very early. Many households had to import meat to sell more.
Pork fever has been reported in many markets in the city since early this morning. Ms. Nguyen Thi Nham (55 years old, resident of Dang Lam ward, Hai An district) said: "This morning at 7am I went to Cau Rao market as usual but I couldn't buy any meat from all the stalls". Ms. Pham Thuy (40 years old, Dang Giang ward) shared: "There is no sign of a storm yet but I can already see the "storm" in the market. This morning, I went around 3 markets but couldn't buy meat or ribs to eat during the coming storm days".
In addition to pork, the item also sought after on September 6 at many traditional markets in Hai Phong is green vegetables, especially water spinach.
Ms. Diu - owner of a vegetable stall in Kenh Duong ward, Le Chan - said that she had imported 200 bunches of vegetables but by late afternoon there were only a few bunches left, the family kept them to eat for the next few days of the storm. Compared to yesterday, the price of water spinach increased from 12,000 VND to 20,000 VND but there was still nothing to sell.
In Quang Ninh, from early morning, Ha Long 1 and Ha Long 2 markets were crowded with people shopping to prepare for the storm. The hottest items were still meat, eggs, fish, green vegetables, instant noodles, etc.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh said: "Prices of all items have increased. Regarding seafood, large farmed shrimp used to be 180,000 VND/kg, now 200,000 VND/kg; squid used to be 280,000 VND/kg, now 320,000 VND/kg."
Trader Do Thi Van, who specializes in seafood products, said: “The sea is rough, fishing boats have not gone out to sea or returned to shore for the past two days. Since noon today, the sea has been officially banned, so fresh seafood is scarce. Frozen seafood is still abundant, prices are basically stable.”
At the supermarket, according to Ms. Vu Thi Dai Trang - Customer Service Department of Go Ha Long Supermarket - from noon on September 5 to the morning of September 6, the number of customers increased by 30% - 40%. Previously, on the afternoon of September 5, the supermarket welcomed more than 3,000 customers, increasing sales by 40% compared to normal days. Customers mainly bought vegetables, fresh food, dried food, instant noodles. Prices of goods were stable.
