Vegetable prices in Hanoi tripled after storms

VTV.vn - Two consecutive storms caused flooding in many vegetable growing areas on the outskirts of Hanoi, reducing supply, pushing vegetable prices to double or even triple compared to normal days.

Over the past two weeks, under the impact of two consecutive storms No. 10 and No. 11, many areas in the Hanoi area have been severely flooded. This situation has affected the daily lives of the people in the capital. In particular, market prices and purchasing power of food items have fluctuated significantly.

According to VTV Times reporters at traditional markets, the prices of green vegetables have fluctuated significantly. Surveys at traditional markets such as Tam Da, Buoi market, Linh Lang or Lang Ho... showed that the prices of green vegetables and fruits have increased sharply, with some even doubling or tripling the price of normal days.

After the storm, many vegetable areas were submerged in water and damaged. That contributed to the skyrocketing price of green vegetables in Hanoi, some types of which increased 3 times compared to normal. Photo: NH

At Linh Lang market (Ngoc Ha ward), stalls are operating more regularly after many days of storms, but the quantity of goods is not much. The most noticeable thing is that the price of vegetables has increased rapidly. Specifically, water spinach is 25,000 VND/bunch, usually only 12,000 VND; Malabar spinach and Malabar spinach are 20,000 VND/bunch, doubled. Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkins have all increased by 3,000 - 5,000 VND/kg. Notably, green onions have jumped to 60,000 VND/kg but are still "sold out" early.

Sweet cabbage and mustard greens, which are consumed strongly this season, are up to 40,000 VND/kg; green onions and herbs - popular spice vegetables - have increased the most, reaching 60,000 VND/kg, while on normal days they are only 30,000 VND/kg. Photo: NH

Explaining the cause, many traders said that due to the impact of the storm, many types of vegetables were crushed, the leaves turned yellow, and quickly wilted. Some vegetable stalls had to pick out the damaged parts, reducing the weight for sale. "The recent storm No. 11 caused prolonged heavy rain, causing many vegetable growing areas in the suburbs of Hanoi and neighboring provinces to be heavily flooded. Vegetables are weak, and only need to be flooded for a few days to spoil. The new crop of vegetables has not been sown yet, so the market almost only depends on a small amount, supply cannot meet demand," said Ms. Thu Mai, a trader at Tam Da market.

In the local markets, the prices of fruits and vegetables also increased slightly. People mainly sell products from their gardens such as: water spinach, potatoes, squash, okra, etc. Photo: NH

Green vegetables increase in price, consumers switch to choosing tubers and fruits with "softer" prices. Photo: NH

Previously, the alluvial plains along the Red River were mainly used for growing vegetables. However, after the flood, the entire alluvial plain area was submerged, causing most of the vegetable fields to be waterlogged and damaged. Only the vegetable fields located deeper in the fields remained, but they were also affected and crushed, so the yield decreased sharply - the price of vegetables therefore doubled compared to normal days.

Hanoi consumers said that the rapid increase in vegetable prices has made daily spending difficult. Ms. Loan Nguyen (Tay Ho ward) complained: "Today, I spent 100,000 VND on vegetables of all kinds at the market, but it was still not enough. My family has 6 mouths to feed, so I had to buy 2 bunches of each kind. It turns out that each time I go to the market, I now spend 40,000 - 50,000 VND more than before." Photo: NH

It is expected that it will take at least 2 to 3 weeks for vegetable prices to cool down, when the weather stabilizes and vegetable growing areas gradually recover. During this time, consumers are advised to prioritize seasonal vegetables, buy at supermarkets or safe agricultural product chains to ensure quality and limit price risks.

According to trader Nguyen Thi Vien - who has been selling vegetables at Lang Ho market for more than 5 years, this is the second price increase in just over a month. "In mid-September, after storm No. 3, vegetable prices also increased rapidly. After about two weeks, the vegetable supply gradually stabilized, and prices dropped back to near the old level. But before we could celebrate, two more storms came in a row, and heavy rains for many days caused vegetables to be flooded and roots to rot. Now prices have doubled again, even higher than the previous period," Ms. Vien shared. Photo: NH

This price increase also shows that Hanoi's green vegetable market still depends heavily on the supply of suburban areas and neighboring provinces. According to experts, to minimize price fluctuations during adverse weather conditions, the city needs to accelerate planning for safe vegetable growing areas, invest in proactive covering and irrigation systems, thereby helping people stabilize the supply of green vegetables - an essential item in daily life.

Source: https://vtv.vn/gia-rau-xanh-tai-ha-noi-tang-gap-ba-sau-mua-bao-100251010234916438.htm