The biggest snakehead fish market in Ho Chi Minh City is open all night to prepare for the God of Wealth's day.

Early morning of February 6 (January 9), dozens of tons of snakehead fish were transported by trucks from all over the Western provinces to Binh Dien wholesale market (District 8, Ho Chi Minh City). This is the largest wholesale market for agricultural products and food in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Dan Tri reporter, it was more than 1am but Binh Dien fish market (District 8, Ho Chi Minh City) was still lit up, bustling with buyers and sellers. Traders worked all night to classify, process, and prepare to ship goods on God of Wealth day (January 10).

After being transported to the market, the snakehead fish will be placed in large plastic barrels filled with water, then transported to the F cage area of Binh Dien market. The F cage area is an area specializing in providing seafood, mainly sea fish with many different types of fish, big and small.

Then the staff of the fish farms will use smaller carts to bring the fish containers to each stall for sorting. Although it takes 2 hours, the staff at Binh Dien fish market are always in a state of urgency and hustle to deliver to customers on time.

After entering the market, the snakehead fish boxes will be classified, weighed, and classified by size by the traders for convenience in trading and supplying to the traders to be consumed throughout the markets in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to traders at Binh Dien market, the price of snakehead fish at the market varies, depending on the size of each fish. The price of snakehead fish ranges from 38,000 to 50,000 VND/kg, 5,000 - 7,000 VND higher than usual.

Mr. Tuan Kiet, a merchant, said that on normal days, the warehouse imports many types of fish such as catfish, red tilapia, etc., but on the two days close to the God of Wealth's day, the warehouse mainly imports snakehead fish to sell because of high demand. "Every year, close to the God of Wealth's day, the amount of snakehead fish imported increases 3-4 times compared to normal days, and there are also many people coming to buy," Mr. Kiet said.

The staff at the fish market work all night. On weekdays, the market is only busy from 9pm to 2am the next morning. However, on the two days leading up to the God of Wealth Day, Binh Dien fish market operates continuously from the afternoon of the 8th until late at night on the 9th of Tet.

In the morning, workers were working hard to deliver fish to customers on time. Some employees of fish farms said that they had to work 4 hours more than usual today.

"On the 8th and 9th, a lot of goods come to the fish market, so our employees have to work overtime and work continuously to prepare snakehead fish in time for the God of Wealth's day. This is also a good time for fish farms at Binh Dien market to earn extra income," said Mr. Lam, an employee of the fish stall.

Binh Dien fish market began to bustle with trucks carrying tons of snakehead fish from 6pm until after 2am the next day. Many drivers hired to transport fish slept in hammocks right at the market because they had to work all night transporting snakehead fish to traders.

In folk beliefs, grilled snakehead fish is an indispensable item in the offering tray of the God of Wealth of many people in Saigon and the Southern provinces. The snakehead fish offered to the God of Wealth must be whole, without scales, fins, or tails. When grilled, it is necessary to use a split sugarcane to skewer straight through the mouth of the fish to shape the fish straight.

People use special offerings to pay respect to the god of wealth to give thanks and pray for good luck in the new year, with good business and prosperity filling their homes.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/cho-ca-loc-lon-nhat-tphcm-xuyen-dem-chuan-bi-cho-ngay-via-than-tai-20250206061337719.htm