Fresh flowers with diverse designs, increased in price by 20-30%
After storm No. 11, hundreds of hectares of flowers in large growing areas such as Me Linh and Tay Tuu were flooded and severely damaged, causing a significant decrease in supply.
Records at flower markets show that, instead of just importing goods from Tay Tuu and Me Linh flower villages like every year, many stalls have to find goods from further provinces such as Son La, Lam Dong, and even imported flowers from Thailand and China to compensate for the shortage.
Ms. Xuyen (Cau Giay Ward, Hanoi) - a flower trader on To Hieu Street - said that this year, instead of only importing flowers from Quang An wholesale market, many traders have proactively imported foreign flowers from Thailand and China to both ensure quality and increase the diversity of designs.
According to Lao Dong, along Nguyen Phong Sac, Quan Hoa, To Hieu streets..., many stores sell a variety of flowers, with prices increasing by 20-30% compared to normal days. Popular flowers such as roses, sunflowers... have all increased in price.
Of which, traditional roses cost from 15,000-30,000 VND/flower, an increase of 5,000-10,000 VND/flower depending on the type; Da Lat velvet roses cost from 18,000-20,000 VND/flower, an increase of 7,000-12,000 VND/flower; sunflowers cost about 25,000-30,000 VND/flower.
Large bouquets of flowers cost from 250,000-700,000 VND, while orders on request or high-end flower baskets can cost up to several million VND.
Flower prices increase but there are few customers, purchasing power decreases
According to records, the flower market on October 20 this year is much calmer than last year. Many traders said that the number of customers has decreased significantly due to high retail prices, while buyers have become more reserved.
Not only individual customers, but also agencies and businesses - the main customer group during this time also significantly reduce the number of flower orders. In particular, online stores have recorded a clear decrease in orders compared to previous years.
Ms. Ngan (Thanh Xuan Ward, Hanoi) - owner of Happy Floral flower shop - said: "Unlike every year, from the 17-18th, there have been a large number of customers ordering flowers, causing employees to work unusually, with an average of 50-60 orders per day. This year, although it is almost October 20, the number of orders from individuals and businesses is still quite sparse, only about 30 orders per day".
This reality partly reflects the general psychology of consumers in the context of escalating prices. Many people said they still want to buy flowers to show interest, but the high price makes them need to consider more carefully.
Ms. Khanh Linh - a third-year student at a university in Hanoi said that the reason for not buying flowers this year is because the price of flowers has increased beyond the expected expenditure.
"Therefore, I decided not to buy flowers as gifts for my mother as every year, but to choose another gift that is more suitable for my budget," said Ms. Khanh Linh.
Although purchasing power has declined and the market is no longer as vibrant as before, many traders believe that the need to give flowers on October 20 is still difficult to lose, because that is the cultural beauty and a familiar way of expressing affection of the Vietnamese people.
