Da Lat vegetables are scarce, prices tripled
According to statistics, the whole province has more than 10,800 hectares of crops affected and damaged, of which more than 3,100 hectares of crops were damaged. In Hiep Thanh commune alone, about 200 hectares of crops were affected, dozens of hectares of vegetables were severely damaged.
A survey in key vegetable growing areas such as Don Duong, Hiep Thanh, Quang Lap, Ka Do, Lam Vien ward (Da Lat), B'Lao ward... shows that the heavy rain at the end of October caused severe flooding, damaging hundreds of hectares of vegetables, tubers and fruits.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuc - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province - said that vegetable output has decreased sharply, supply does not meet demand, causing vegetable prices at markets and supermarkets to increase many times compared to before the storm.
At Bao Loc market, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga - a vegetable trader - said that Da Lat vegetables such as bok choy, water spinach, Malabar spinach, squash... were priced at 7,000 - 9,000 VND/kg before the storm, now they have increased to 16,000 - 18,000 VND/kg.
The price of herbs from 20,000 - 30,000 VND/kg has now skyrocketed to 55,000 - 60,000 VND/kg but is still scarce, "no vegetables to sell".
At Lien Nghia market (Duc Trong), Ms. Tran Thi Lien said that before October 25, the lot of lettuce cost 15,000 - 17,000 VND/kg, now it has increased to 45,000 VND/kg; fatty lettuce increased from 17,000 VND/kg to 50,000 VND/kg, but was still "sold out early due to shortage".
Vegetable plantations in Da Lat, Duc Trong, Ka Do, Thanh My... are also facing difficulties due to shortages of goods and decreased output, causing many plantation owners to buy at double or even nearly triple prices to supply wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces in time.
Not only Lam Dong, traditional vegetable growing areas of Binh Thuan (old) such as Ham Thang, Ham Liem, Binh Tan... were also severely damaged by prolonged floods.
Pork and essential goods prices in Khanh Hoa increase sharply
In Khanh Hoa, due to increased consumer demand during stormy days, prices of fresh food and vegetables have increased simultaneously, especially pork.
On the morning of November 7, the price of pork at slaughterhouses increased by 20,000 - 35,000 VND/kg compared to the previous day, bringing the price of ham to 100,000 VND/kg. Despite the sharp increase in prices, many traders still find it difficult to import enough goods due to scarce supply.
Ms. Kim Tuyen, a trader at Xom Moi market (Nha Trang ward) said: "This morning I planned to import 50kg of meat to sell to customers, but only received 30kg. In addition to the sudden increase in demand, the widespread African swine fever has also limited supply.
Due to increased import prices, retail prices at traditional markets have also increased: Bacon is only 140,000 - 150,000 VND/kg, bacon is only 180,000 - 200,000 VND/kg, young ribs are 170,000 - 200,000 VND/kg, lean shoulder meat is about 150,000 VND/kg, depending on the market and the selling point.
To ensure the supply of essential goods, the Department of Industry and Trade of Khanh Hoa has requested supermarkets, shopping malls, and distribution enterprises to review and supplement plans to reserve goods, especially for remote areas and areas prone to isolation and flooding. Units are required to implement the "4 on-site" motto, coordinating with local authorities to proactively respond to natural disasters.
According to Mr. Mai Hung Vi - Deputy Head of the Provincial Market Management Department, the market management force has closely followed the area, grasped supply and demand, promptly handled hoarding and price increases to protect consumer rights.
Along with that, the Khanh Hoa Market Management Department also issued a document directing its affiliated units to proactively respond, stabilize the market, and prevent shortages, price increases or hoarding during the storm.
