On the days before Tet, the banana market in Tan Long commune (Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province) begins and ends on the 29th of Tet.
This is the time when locals and traders from all over flock to choose the most beautiful bunches of bananas to serve as offerings during the traditional New Year.
Honey banana is a famous specialty of this land, sold at high prices during Tet, each bunch costs about 1 million VND on average, some beautiful bunches even cost more than 2 million VND.
According to Mr. Vo Van Cuong - Chairman of Tan Long Commune People's Committee, on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2024, the price of moldy honey bananas in the market was high, a bunch of bananas was sold for 4 million VND. But this year, the price of bananas is not as high as last year, the number of bananas brought to the market is also less.
“The amount of bananas brought to the Tet market is less, but people are not sad, because the price of bananas has been stable and much higher than previous years. From July to September, the price of bananas sometimes reached 12,000 VND/kg, and the lowest point was still at 4,000 VND/kg,” Mr. Cuong shared.
In Tan Long commune, the banana is considered the main crop, with an area of about 800 hectares, and in Huong Hoa district, about 4,000 hectares. This plant not only brings in year-round income but also contributes to stabilizing the economy of thousands of households.
During Tet, although the number of bananas sold is lower because people have consumed them in previous months, the atmosphere at Tan Long banana market is still bustling. The banana bunches are carefully selected, shiny, beautiful yellow, ensuring the standards to be offered to the ancestral altar. This is also the reason why the price of bananas during this time is always higher than usual.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan - a trader at the market said: "This year, there are fewer traders from other provinces coming to the market due to the small amount of bananas. The buyers at the market are mainly local people and people from neighboring areas. They are willing to spend a lot of money to have a beautiful bunch of bananas for Tet."
Although the price of bananas sold at the Tet market this year is not as high as in previous years, Tan Long people are still excited with what they have achieved throughout 2024. The fact that banana prices have remained high for a long time has helped many families improve their economy and raise their living standards. There are fewer bunches of Tet bananas, but the quality is still guaranteed, bringing confidence to buyers and pride to sellers.
